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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. deal — to handle
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rock — music
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. root — of a word
  11. cue — for pool
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. root — the cause
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — a stone
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rock — to move gently

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