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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pit — a hole
  3. scale — in music
  4. race — the arms race
  5. root — of a word
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. rock — music
  8. race — a contest
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. race — humankind
  13. root — the cause
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. row — to paddle
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rock — a stone

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