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: root · net · wound · mark · prune · cap · chip · spell

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. net — in sport
  3. wound — an injury
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. net — for catching
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cap — a hat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. root — of a word
  11. net — after costs
  12. root — the cause
  13. cap — of ice
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cap — a lid
  19. spell — letters
  20. root — of a plant
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. spell — magic

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