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: chip · bark · root · calf · snap · staff · spring · saw

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. staff — employees
  3. chip — to eat
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. spring — the season
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. spring — of water
  15. snap — to click
  16. chip — for betting
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. root — of a word
  20. staff — a stick
  21. spring — a coil
  22. staff — employees
  23. root — of a plant
  24. chip — in a computer

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