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 120 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: calf · root · chair · stand · pitcher · tube · foot · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. root — the cause
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tube — the underground
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — a leader
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. tube — a container
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stand — to bear
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. calf — a young animal

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