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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. root — of a plant
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. root — of a word
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. toast — bread
  8. current — electric
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. net — after costs
  13. roll — a cake
  14. lie — to recline
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. net — in sport
  19. prune — to trim
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. root — the cause
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. roll — a list
  24. perch — for a bird

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