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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bound — tied together
  3. degree — an amount
  4. spell — letters
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bound — obliged
  11. root — the cause
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. spell — magic
  19. mate — a friend
  20. root — of a plant
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bound — certain
  24. ball — a dance

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