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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. face — to point toward
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. rock — music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. shower — to wash
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. face — part of the head
  18. rock — a stone
  19. root — of a word
  20. pitch — completely
  21. face — to confront
  22. hand — help
  23. root — the cause
  24. shower — rain

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