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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. swing — in golf
  5. kid — to tease
  6. ground — crushed
  7. root — of a plant
  8. field — farmland
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. kid — child
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. field — a subject
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. swing — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ground — a position
  17. club — for golf
  18. root — of a word
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. swing — to play on
  22. ground — the earth
  23. field — for sport
  24. bowl — a football final

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