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: deal · bear · foot · toast · object · racket · saw · root

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. object — an aim
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. root — of a word
  8. object — to protest
  9. bear — the animal
  10. toast — bread
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. root — the cause
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. root — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. toast — the most admired

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