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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. root — of a plant
  3. present — the time now
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rest — what's left
  13. root — of a word
  14. present — a gift
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — child
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. root — the cause
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. present — there
  24. bowl — to roll

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