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: lash · race · temple · ground · lean · pitcher · root · file

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. race — a contest
  7. root — of a plant
  8. race — the arms race
  9. root — of a word
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. ground — a position
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. ground — crushed
  17. race — humankind
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. root — the cause
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. file — a document
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pitcher — a jug

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