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: coach · squash · race · root · deal · saw · cap · prune

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. root — of a word
  3. race — the arms race
  4. root — the cause
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cap — of ice
  7. race — a contest
  8. prune — to trim
  9. saw — the tool
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. race — humankind
  15. squash — the sport
  16. saw — the tool
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. squash — to crush
  19. deal — to handle
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. prune — the fruit

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