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 120 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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cold — an illness
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. tube — a container
  11. cell — in biology
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cold — not warm
  22. root — the cause
  23. bear — the animal
  24. tube — the underground

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