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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. toast — bread
  4. root — the cause
  5. swing — in golf
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. root — of a word
  12. swing — music
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ball — a great time
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mouse — the animal

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