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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. swing — music
  4. root — of a word
  5. row — to paddle
  6. root — the cause
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. swing — to play on
  11. toast — bread
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fall — the season
  14. tube — the underground
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. root — of a plant
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. row — a line
  21. swing — in golf
  22. fall — to drop
  23. season — of the year
  24. fall — to drop

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