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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. root — of a plant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spell — magic
  8. cell — in biology
  9. squash — the sport
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cell — a phone
  17. spell — letters
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. object — an aim
  20. kid — to tease
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a word
  23. spell — a short time
  24. suit — in cards

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