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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. pound — for dogs
  2. root — of a word
  3. capital — money
  4. staff — employees
  5. bank — for money
  6. pound — a weight
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — a city
  14. staff — employees
  15. bank — for money
  16. root — the cause
  17. staff — a stick
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rest — a break
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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