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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. field — for sport
  3. root — of a plant
  4. shower — rain
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. field — a subject
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. field — farmland
  11. drill — a practice
  12. root — of a word
  13. drill — the tool
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. drill — army training
  22. root — the cause
  23. shower — to wash
  24. fan — to cool the air

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