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: bay · hand · bowl · toast · nail · charge · swing · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. swing — in golf
  6. toast — bread
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. swing — music
  9. charge — in control
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. root — the cause
  13. hand — in cards
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. charge — a price
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. swing — to play on
  20. root — of a plant
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. hand — help
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — to roll

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