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 120 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: mate · bear · game · bulb · pop · root · suit · kick

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. suit — in cards
  3. root — of a word
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pop — music
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. root — of a plant
  8. game — a match
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pop — soda
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mate — a friend
  24. root — the cause

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