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: hand · prune · object · root · safe · foot · chair · pop

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pop — soda
  3. hand — help
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. root — of a word
  6. prune — to trim
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. object — a thing
  12. pop — to visit
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a leader
  17. prune — to trim
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. pop — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. foot — a measure
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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