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: charge · kid · toast · root · deal · net · content · dip

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. root — of a plant
  7. charge — in control
  8. root — the cause
  9. content — happy
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — electricity
  13. net — in sport
  14. deal — to handle
  15. net — after costs
  16. content — the amount
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. net — for catching
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. charge — a price
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — to tease
  24. root — of a word

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