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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. object — to protest
  4. squash — the sport
  5. root — of a word
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. can — a tin
  10. squash — to crush
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. can — a tin
  15. object — an aim
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. object — a thing
  22. root — the cause
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bulb — for light

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