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: tube · root · chair · rash · track · craft · coach · rush

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — of a word
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rush — hurry
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rash — a series
  8. chair — a leader
  9. track — to keep track
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. tube — the underground
  12. craft — a skill
  13. root — of a plant
  14. craft — boats
  15. tube — a container
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. track — a song
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rash — hasty
  21. root — the cause
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. track — a path

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