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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — of a word
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. chest — a box
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — a trail
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. root — the cause
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bass — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bass — low music
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. perch — the fish
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chest — of your body
  22. ground — crushed
  23. root — of a plant
  24. ruler — for measuring

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