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: object · degree · stem · cue · root · foot · arm · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. root — of a word
  3. foot — a measure
  4. degree — from a university
  5. root — the cause
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. degree — temperature
  8. stem — to come from
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cue — a hint
  11. object — a thing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cue — for pool
  14. object — to protest
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. root — of a plant
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. object — an aim
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cue — a signal
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stem — a stem cell

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