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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. cap — a hat
  3. root — the cause
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cap — of ice
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cap — a lid
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. degree — from a university
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pop — music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pop — soda
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pop — to visit
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. degree — temperature
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — a phone

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