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 · squash · mug · bore · suit · pitcher · stand · march

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. march — music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. mug — a face
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bore — to tire
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. squash — the sport
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. march — the month

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