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: foot · rest · root · racket · track · club · craft · prune

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rest — what's left
  5. foot — a measure
  6. craft — a skill
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rest — what's left
  10. track — a path
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rest — a break
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. track — to keep track
  15. club — for golf
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. prune — to trim
  20. club — for dancing
  21. root — the cause
  22. track — a song
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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