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 116 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: rock · rule · root · bear · hide · pop · patient · net

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — soda
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bear — the animal
  5. net — for catching
  6. root — of a word
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rule — government
  9. rock — music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. root — the cause
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pop — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. net — in sport
  19. pop — to visit
  20. root — of a plant
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. net — after costs
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rule — a law

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