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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. root — of a word
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — in sport
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. root — of a plant
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. season — of the year
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. object — an aim
  12. root — the cause
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. object — to protest
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. object — a thing
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a ring
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. band — a music group
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — 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