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: root · bass · staff · mouse · chip · squash · content · mate

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. root — of a word
  4. staff — employees
  5. content — the amount
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bass — low music
  8. staff — a stick
  9. squash — the sport
  10. root — the cause
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. staff — employees
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chip — for betting
  17. content — happy
  18. bass — the fish
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mouse — the animal

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