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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. chest — of your body
  3. root — of a word
  4. can — a tin
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. season — of the year
  9. present — the time now
  10. can — to be able to
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chest — of your body
  15. root — the cause
  16. season — in sport
  17. mark — a grade
  18. game — a match
  19. chest — a box
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. game — wild animals
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a trace
  24. leaves — to go away

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