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: kick · date · root · stand · scale · kid · drill · pit

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. scale — in music
  4. stand — to bear
  5. date — the fruit
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. drill — a practice
  8. kid — to tease
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kid — child
  13. drill — the tool
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pit — in a race
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. drill — army training
  22. pit — a hole
  23. scale — size or range
  24. kick — in football

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