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 120 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: hide · ground · mug · root · snap · mouse · suit · field

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. root — of a plant
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. snap — to click
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ground — the earth
  8. mug — a cup
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mug — to rob
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. root — of a word
  15. field — a subject
  16. root — the cause
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. mug — a face
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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