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: stick · file · root · content · mark · board · sharp · squash

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. file — a line of people
  7. root — the cause
  8. mark — a trace
  9. sharp — clever
  10. board — to get on
  11. content — the amount
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. root — of a plant
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. file — a document
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mark — a grade
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. root — of a word
  23. content — happy
  24. file — a tool

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