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: bowl · object · ruler · rest · hand · root · net · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. root — of a plant
  3. object — a thing
  4. rest — a break
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rest — what's left
  7. object — an aim
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. net — after costs
  11. root — of a word
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. track — to keep track
  16. hand — help
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. root — the cause
  19. net — for catching
  20. rest — what's left
  21. track — a song
  22. object — to protest
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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