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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. saw — the tool
  4. root — of a plant
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pit — in a race
  7. object — a thing
  8. root — of a word
  9. object — to protest
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. squash — to crush
  13. root — the cause
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. object — an aim
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rest — a break
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. squash — the sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

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