ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. root — of a plant
  4. perch — the fish
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. root — the cause
  7. cue — a signal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. squash — the sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — of a word
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. hand — in cards
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. squash — to crush
  17. cue — a hint
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. race — humankind
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. cue — for pool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com