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: dip · pass · trunk · net · spell · root · pitch · pop

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. root — of a word
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pop — music
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. root — the cause
  12. spell — a short time
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pop — soda
  17. spell — magic
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. pop — to visit
  21. net — for catching
  22. pitch — completely
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. root — of a plant

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