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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. drill — army training
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. root — the cause
  7. swing — to play on
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stem — to come from
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. root — of a plant
  20. drill — a practice
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bear — the animal
  24. root — of a word

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