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: rush · fork · cue · chair · march · root · pound · dip

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. root — of a word
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rush — hurry
  10. root — the cause
  11. march — the month
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. march — music
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. cue — a hint
  16. march — the month
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rush — a thrill

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