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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. sharp — clever
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. key — in music
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. field — a subject
  7. root — of a word
  8. field — for sport
  9. object — to protest
  10. key — the most important part
  11. field — farmland
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. key — for a lock
  14. dip — to sink
  15. object — an aim
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. object — a thing
  20. root — the cause
  21. club — for golf
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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