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 120 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. root — the cause
  4. scale — in music
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. lean — thin
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cold — not warm
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. scale — size or range
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. game — a match
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. game — wild animals
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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