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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. hand — help
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. chip — for betting
  13. root — of a plant
  14. prune — to trim
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pitch — completely
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. file — a tool
  21. bass — low music
  22. hand — in cards
  23. root — of a word
  24. prune — to trim

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