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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. toast — bread
  5. fine — high quality
  6. root — of a plant
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ball — a dance
  9. root — the cause
  10. fine — all right
  11. season — of the year
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ball — a great time
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. root — of a word
  24. arm — a part of something

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