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: ruler · chair · root · ground · net · season · safe · spell

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. spell — magic
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. season — in sport
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chair — a leader
  15. net — for catching
  16. season — of the year
  17. root — the cause
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. ruler — for measuring

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