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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. root — of a plant
  3. rule — a law
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rule — government
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. season — of the year
  14. root — of a word
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pass — a permit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. root — the cause
  20. bass — low music
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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