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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. kick — in football
  5. roll — a cake
  6. root — of a word
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rule — government
  10. spell — letters
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. root — the cause
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. spell — magic
  16. roll — a list
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rule — a law
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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