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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bear — the animal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bear — the animal
  8. root — of a word
  9. rest — what's left
  10. scale — in music
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. fork — in a road
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. root — the cause
  21. snap — to click
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rest — a break
  24. root — of a plant

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