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: court · deal · rush · root · bowl · object · race · board

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. deal — to handle
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. race — humankind
  9. court — for sport
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. race — a contest
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. race — the arms race
  21. board — to get on
  22. court — of a king
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. object — a thing

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