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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — of a word
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. clip — for paper
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. board — a committee
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. root — the cause
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. clip — a video
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cue — a hint
  21. drill — army training
  22. mark — a trace
  23. board — to get on
  24. clip — to cut

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