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 116 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: bulb · root · coach · race · face · rash · pound · last

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. race — the arms race
  13. last — to go on
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. race — humankind
  17. root — the cause
  18. last — final
  19. race — a contest
  20. last — finally
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. face — to confront
  23. bulb — for light
  24. face — to point toward

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