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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. root — of a word
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. present — there
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. root — of a plant
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. club — a group
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. club — for dancing
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. club — for golf
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. root — the cause
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bass — low music
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. bear — the animal

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