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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. root — of a plant
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. tear — from crying
  15. ball — a great time
  16. tear — to rip
  17. content — happy
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wake — a trail
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. root — of a word
  24. bat — the animal

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