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: wound · race · root · mug · racket · snap · chest · staff

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a plant
  3. staff — a stick
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. snap — to click
  6. race — a contest
  7. staff — employees
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mug — a face
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. race — the arms race
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. race — humankind
  17. root — of a word
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mug — a cup
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mug — to rob
  24. wound — an injury

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