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 · chip · patient · stick · bat · squash · rest · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. root — of a word
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rest — a break
  8. squash — to crush
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — of a plant
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bat — the animal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. root — the cause
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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