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 120 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: ball · nail · spell · leaves · fan · present · chest · root

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. root — of a plant
  3. present — a gift
  4. chest — of your body
  5. root — the cause
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chest — a box
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. spell — letters
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. spell — magic
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spell — a short time
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. present — there
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ball — a dance
  21. root — of a word
  22. chest — of your body
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fan — a supporter

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