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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · racket · stand · perch · bay · mark · date · swing

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. swing — music
  8. mark — a grade
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mark — a trace
  15. root — of a word
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — the fruit
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. date — on the calendar

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