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 · root · present · rock · can · spell · coach · snap

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. root — of a word
  3. rock — a stone
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. root — the cause
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. snap — to click
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. spell — a short time
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. can — a tin
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spell — letters
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. present — there
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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