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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. root — the cause
  6. prune — to trim
  7. net — for catching
  8. kick — in football
  9. root — of a word
  10. bulb — for light
  11. net — in sport
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. root — of a plant
  14. season — of the year
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. prune — to trim

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