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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. root — of a plant
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. root — the cause
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mouse — for a computer

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