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: roll · craft · kid · mark · wind · saw · root · racket

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. root — of a plant
  3. roll — a list
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mark — a grade
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. kid — child
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mark — a trace
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. root — of a word
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. root — the cause
  18. kid — to tease
  19. wind — moving air
  20. roll — a cake
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. saw — the tool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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