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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. ball — a great time
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. court — for sport
  12. game — wild animals
  13. court — of a king
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rash — hasty
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. court — of law
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. root — of a word
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ball — a dance
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. game — a match

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