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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bass — the fish
  6. root — of a word
  7. field — for sport
  8. cue — for pool
  9. field — farmland
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. field — a subject
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. root — the cause
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bass — low music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  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