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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. deal — to handle
  6. cap — a hat
  7. capital — money
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bore — to drill
  10. root — of a word
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. capital — a city
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. cap — of ice
  19. root — the cause
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. saw — the tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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