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 120 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bear — the animal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wound — an injury
  10. root — of a word
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cue — a signal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. root — the cause
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cell — a phone
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rock — music

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