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 116 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: cell · root · chair · race · bowl · calf · bay · squash

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cell — a phone
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. race — humankind
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cell — in biology
  9. root — the cause
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. root — of a word
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. squash — the sport
  24. chair — to sit on

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