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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bass — low music
  5. root — the cause
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rush — hurry
  11. wake — a trail
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bass — the fish
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — a thrill

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