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: root · mate · chip · file · rush · ground · rash · kick

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. ground — crushed
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rash — a series
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. root — the cause
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. file — a tool
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chip — to eat
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a document
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ground — a position
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ground — the earth
  23. kick — in football
  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