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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a word
  4. bat — the animal
  5. net — for catching
  6. bound — tied together
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. race — a contest
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. net — in sport
  13. race — humankind
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bound — certain
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. net — after costs
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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