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 120 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. root — of a plant
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. net — in sport
  5. swing — music
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mark — a grade
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. net — for catching
  13. root — the cause
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. root — of a word
  17. shower — rain
  18. bank — for money
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bank — for money
  21. net — after costs
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bank — of a river
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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