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: root · squash · lean · bay · stand · temple · chip · hand

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. root — of a word
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. root — of a plant
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. hand — help
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. root — the cause
  15. chip — for betting
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. hand — in cards
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bay — a horse colour

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