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: sharp · stick · spell · track · bulb · root · hide · hand

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spell — magic
  4. root — of a word
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — letters
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. track — a song
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. track — a path
  16. root — the cause
  17. hand — in cards
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — help

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