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: hide · track · race · rush · board · rock · rash · root

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. root — of a word
  3. rash — hasty
  4. root — of a plant
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. race — humankind
  7. track — a path
  8. root — the cause
  9. rash — a series
  10. board — a committee
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rock — music
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. race — a contest
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. track — a song
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. board — to get on
  24. rash — on the skin

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