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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. firm — decided
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bore — to tire
  6. race — a contest
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. firm — steady
  9. bore — to drill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. root — of a word
  12. firm — a company
  13. race — the arms race
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — the cause
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. race — humankind
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wake — before a funeral

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