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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fork — in a road
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. root — of a plant
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bat — the animal
  10. content — happy
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. root — the cause
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — the amount
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fork — a garden tool

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