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 120 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: root · kid · season · bank · march · safe · patient · lash

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. march — the month
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. kid — child
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. root — of a plant
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bank — of a river
  12. kid — to tease
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. season — of the year
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bank — for money
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. root — the cause
  22. season — in sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bank — for money

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