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: track · arm · mug · hide · object · root · bark · pop

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. root — of a plant
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bark — to shout
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pop — to visit
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. root — the cause
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. object — to protest
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. root — of a word
  14. pop — music
  15. mug — a face
  16. track — a song
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. track — a path
  20. pop — soda
  21. object — a thing
  22. track — to keep track
  23. object — an aim
  24. mug — a cup

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