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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rest — a break
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rest — what's left
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rest — what's left
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. hand — in cards
  14. root — the cause
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mate — a partner
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. root — of a word
  24. hide — animal skin

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