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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. root — the cause
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. root — of a plant
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. root — of a word
  12. cell — a phone
  13. present — the time now
  14. suit — to fit
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mug — a cup
  17. suit — in cards
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mug — a face
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. row — a line
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cell — in a prison

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