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: bear · stick · pitcher · saw · club · hand · root · object

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. hand — help
  4. saw — the tool
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — a group
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. root — of a word
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. root — of a plant
  12. object — to protest
  13. hand — in cards
  14. club — for golf
  15. object — an aim
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. root — the cause
  23. bear — the animal
  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