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: spell · calf · root · net · cue · bay · branch · content

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. content — the amount
  3. net — after costs
  4. spell — a short time
  5. net — for catching
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. net — in sport
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. content — happy
  14. root — of a plant
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. branch — a division
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. spell — letters
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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