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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. season — in sport
  3. face — to confront
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. face — part of the head
  6. charge — in control
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. charge — electricity
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. root — the cause
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. board — to get on
  24. season — of the year

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