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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cell — a phone
  6. roll — a list
  7. cell — in biology
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. swing — music
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. track — a path
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. track — a song
  21. root — the cause
  22. roll — a cake
  23. track — to keep track
  24. racket — for tennis

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