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: rush · cue · kick · spell · fork · court · arm · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fork — in a road
  3. court — of a king
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. cue — a signal
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. spell — magic
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. court — for sport
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kick — in football
  23. root — the cause
  24. court — of law

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