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: staff · race · root · rush · bound · pitch · racket · deal

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. root — the cause
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. root — of a word
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. race — the arms race
  10. staff — employees
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pitch — completely
  13. race — a contest
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rush — hurry
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. root — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bound — obliged
  21. deal — to handle
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pitch — a sports field

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