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 116 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: wound · content · club · race · mouse · firm · root · bear

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. root — of a plant
  3. club — for golf
  4. firm — decided
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bear — the animal
  10. content — happy
  11. race — a contest
  12. firm — a company
  13. race — the arms race
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wound — an injury
  16. root — the cause
  17. club — for dancing
  18. root — of a word
  19. race — humankind
  20. content — the amount
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. firm — steady
  24. bear — the animal

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