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: pitcher · bay · hide · wound · root · roll · racket · lie

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. root — of a plant
  4. roll — a cake
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. lie — to recline
  9. roll — a list
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. root — the cause
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. root — of a word
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wound — an injury
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hide — to keep secret

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