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: foot · present · can · racket · root · ball · tube · bear

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. root — of a word
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. can — to be able to
  11. tube — the underground
  12. foot — a measure
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. present — the time now
  23. root — the cause
  24. present — there

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