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: squash · ground · chair · root · trunk · nail · chip · fork

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. chip — to eat
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fork — in a road
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. root — of a word
  8. squash — to crush
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ground — crushed
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. root — the cause
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. squash — the sport
  20. chip — for betting
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. root — of a plant
  23. chair — a leader
  24. ground — the earth

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