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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. dip — to sink
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pit — a hole
  7. deal — to handle
  8. can — to be able to
  9. root — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pit — in a race
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. root — of a word
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. root — the cause
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. club — a group
  20. can — a tin
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. can — a tin

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