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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. squash — the sport
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. current — happening now
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. current — electric
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. land — to come down
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. root — of a plant
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. current — of water
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. land — a country
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. squash — to crush
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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