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 the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. spell — letters
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. content — happy
  11. cell — a phone
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pit — a hole
  15. spell — a short time
  16. content — the amount
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. root — of a word
  22. spell — magic
  23. rest — a break
  24. content — videos and posts

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