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: branch · root · row · kick · foot · cabinet · rash · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. swing — music
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. root — the cause
  13. kick — in football
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rash — hasty
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. row — to paddle
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rash — a series
  22. branch — a division
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cabinet — ministers

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