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: rule · suit · ground · root · coach · chair · foot · firm

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. suit — to fit
  3. root — the cause
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. firm — a company
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ground — crushed
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. foot — a measure
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — decided
  12. suit — in cards
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. root — of a word
  16. firm — steady
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rule — government
  20. root — of a plant
  21. ground — a position
  22. chair — a leader
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. ground — the earth

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