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: root · kick · rock · degree · mark · stand · prune · kid

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. degree — from a university
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. prune — to trim
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. kick — in football
  15. kid — to tease
  16. stand — to bear
  17. root — the cause
  18. degree — temperature
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. kid — child
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rock — music

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