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: content · root · tear · current · pass · kick · pitch · bowl

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. tear — to rip
  3. kick — in football
  4. current — electric
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. content — happy
  12. pitch — completely
  13. content — the amount
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bowl — a football final

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