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: racket · chip · nail · root · scale · stock · pit · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. root — of a word
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. root — of a plant
  8. scale — in music
  9. pit — a hole
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — the cause
  13. chip — for betting
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stock — shares
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pit — in a race
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. chip — to eat
  23. scale — size or range
  24. chip — in a computer

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