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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bore — to tire
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. root — of a word
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cold — an illness
  10. suit — clothes
  11. game — a match
  12. suit — in cards
  13. root — the cause
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cold — not warm
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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