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: perch · pass · pitcher · file · pitch · rule · wake · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rule — government
  4. root — the cause
  5. perch — the fish
  6. file — a document
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rule — a law
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. root — of a word
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. file — a tool
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pitch — completely
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pass — a permit

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