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 124 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: net · root · racket · content · temple · object · can · race

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. net — after costs
  4. can — a tin
  5. content — happy
  6. race — a contest
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. net — in sport
  9. object — a thing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. root — of a plant
  12. can — to be able to
  13. object — an aim
  14. race — the arms race
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. race — humankind
  17. net — for catching
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — to protest
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. root — of a word
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. root — the cause

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