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 124 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. root — of a plant
  3. drill — a practice
  4. root — of a word
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. root — the cause
  9. rash — a series
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rest — a break
  16. drill — army training
  17. stock — goods
  18. rest — what's left
  19. drill — the tool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rest — what's left

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