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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — a cup
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. root — of a plant
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bat — the animal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. deal — to handle
  17. dip — to sink
  18. root — of a word
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bark — to shout
  22. foot — a measure
  23. root — the cause
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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