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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. squash — the sport
  3. root — the cause
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. root — of a plant
  6. field — farmland
  7. field — for sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. board — to get on
  10. root — of a word
  11. season — in sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. board — a committee
  16. bass — low music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. field — a subject
  19. squash — to crush
  20. season — of the year
  21. bass — the fish
  22. face — to point toward
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bass — the instrument

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