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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. content — happy
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a leader
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. mug — a cup
  18. band — a music group
  19. root — the cause
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. chair — a professorship

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