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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. root — the cause
  3. bear — the animal
  4. season — in sport
  5. root — of a plant
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — to drill
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. season — of the year
  20. root — of a word
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. safe — out of danger

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