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: deal · track · bat · squash · root · net · calf · bowl

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. root — of a word
  4. track — a song
  5. root — the cause
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. track — a path
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. track — to keep track
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. net — in sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. net — for catching
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bat — the animal
  23. squash — the sport
  24. net — after costs

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