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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. key — in music
  3. present — the time now
  4. rock — music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spell — letters
  8. key — for a lock
  9. root — of a word
  10. spell — a short time
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rock — a stone
  18. present — a gift
  19. spell — magic
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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