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: coach · club · stick · wound · root · foot · jam · land

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. club — a group
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. club — for dancing
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. root — the cause
  18. wound — an injury
  19. land — ground
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. club — for golf
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wound — an injury
  24. coach — a trainer

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