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: rock · bay · court · straw · root · rush · dip · staff

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. root — the cause
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. staff — employees
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. court — for sport
  8. rock — a stone
  9. staff — employees
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. court — of law
  13. dip — to sink
  14. root — of a word
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rock — music
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. court — of a king
  22. root — of a plant
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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