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: net · hide · cue · roll · coach · root · capital · game

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. root — of a plant
  6. net — in sport
  7. cue — a signal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. roll — a list
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. root — of a word
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. net — for catching
  14. capital — a city
  15. cue — for pool
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. net — after costs
  18. game — a match
  19. root — the cause
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a cake
  22. capital — money
  23. cue — a hint
  24. capital — a big letter

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