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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. row — a line
  4. dip — to sink
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. root — of a plant
  9. chair — a leader
  10. root — the cause
  11. sharp — clever
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. firm — decided
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — a company
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. firm — steady
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. pitch — completely
  24. root — of a word

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