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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. root — of a plant
  3. track — a path
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. field — for sport
  6. charge — in control
  7. field — farmland
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. field — a subject
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. track — to keep track
  16. root — the cause
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. snap — to click
  20. charge — electricity
  21. track — a song
  22. root — of a word
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. charge — a price

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