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: ball · patient · key · bowl · root · foot · jam · current

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. current — of water
  4. ball — a great time
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. ball — a dance
  11. root — of a plant
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. root — the cause
  15. foot — a measure
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. jam — in traffic

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