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: suit · season · bowl · spring · wake · tear · racket · root

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. tear — from crying
  5. spring — of water
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — clothes
  10. tear — from crying
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. root — of a word
  14. suit — to fit
  15. root — the cause
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wake — a trail
  18. root — of a plant
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. season — of the year
  22. spring — a coil
  23. suit — in cards
  24. tear — to rip

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