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: stem · root · bulb · snap · kick · board · degree · hide

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. root — of a plant
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. kick — in football
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. degree — temperature
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bulb — for light
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. snap — to click
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. degree — an amount
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — a committee
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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