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 116 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. field — farmland
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. field — a subject
  7. root — the cause
  8. bank — for money
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. spell — magic
  11. root — of a word
  12. firm — steady
  13. bank — of a river
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. firm — a company
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. firm — decided
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. field — for sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. dip — to sink
  24. root — of a plant

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