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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. race — the arms race
  5. court — of law
  6. suit — in cards
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — in football
  9. race — humankind
  10. sharp — clever
  11. court — for sport
  12. root — the cause
  13. race — a contest
  14. court — of a king
  15. pound — a weight
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. root — of a word
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — of a plant
  24. kick — a thrill

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