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: file · rest · bulb · racket · season · root · ruler · rush

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. file — a document
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rest — what's left
  5. root — the cause
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bulb — for light
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. root — of a word
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. file — a line of people
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rest — a break
  16. rush — hurry
  17. season — of the year
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bulb — for light
  21. season — in sport
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. file — a tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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