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: rock · saw · kick · dip · root · mouse · field · ruler

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. field — a subject
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. field — for sport
  7. root — of a word
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rock — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. kick — in football
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. root — the cause
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. saw — the tool
  20. field — farmland
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. root — of a plant

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