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: bound · object · racket · chair · row · track · calf · root

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. object — a thing
  4. track — a song
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. root — the cause
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. row — a line
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. object — to protest
  13. track — a path
  14. bound — obliged
  15. root — of a plant
  16. track — to keep track
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. row — to paddle
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. root — of a word
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. chair — a leader

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