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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. swing — to play on
  4. root — of a word
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. kid — to tease
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bat — the animal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. swing — music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a plant
  21. kid — child
  22. rest — what's left
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rest — a break

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