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: root · calf · ball · object · bark · ground · mark · rest

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. root — of a word
  4. ball — a dance
  5. object — an aim
  6. ground — the earth
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ground — a position
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mark — a trace
  11. object — a thing
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rest — a break
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. object — to protest
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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