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: hide · craft · bear · rush · degree · root · kick · present

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. craft — a skill
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. present — there
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. rush — hurry
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. degree — temperature
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. craft — boats
  12. bear — the animal
  13. root — the cause
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. present — the time now
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bear — the animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. kick — in football
  21. present — a gift
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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