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: suit · chair · hide · root · shower · game · content · can

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. game — a match
  3. root — of a word
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. content — happy
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. root — the cause
  9. content — the amount
  10. shower — rain
  11. suit — to fit
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. can — a tin
  17. root — of a plant
  18. shower — to wash
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. chair — a leader
  22. game — wild animals
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. suit — clothes

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