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 116 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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. degree — from a university
  5. root — of a word
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. can — a tin
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. degree — temperature
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rock — music
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rush — hurry
  19. degree — an amount
  20. can — a tin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bat — the animal
  24. root — the cause

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