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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. root — of a plant
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rest — a break
  8. face — part of the head
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. face — to point toward
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. chair — a leader
  17. root — the cause
  18. rest — what's left
  19. scale — in music
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. face — to confront
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. scale — size or range
  24. root — of a word

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