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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. root — of a plant
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fine — all right
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. race — humankind
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. root — the cause
  16. board — to get on
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bear — the animal
  20. root — of a word
  21. race — a contest
  22. board — a committee
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. fine — high quality

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