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: root · lean · leaves · stick · foot · club · date · mouse

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. club — for golf
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. root — the cause
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. club — a group
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. root — of a word
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. date — the fruit
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. lean — thin
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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