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: stick · foot · suit · cold · fork · craft · root · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. cold — not warm
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cold — an illness
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — a skill
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. root — of a word
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. root — of a plant
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. fork — in a road
  24. root — the cause

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