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 120 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: ball · kick · root · season · pitch · deal · bear · bound

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. root — the cause
  3. bear — the animal
  4. root — of a plant
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bound — obliged
  8. root — of a word
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bound — tied together
  18. kick — in football
  19. bound — certain
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. ball — a dance
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bear — the animal

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