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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. cue — a hint
  4. vault — a safe
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cue — a signal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. root — of a plant
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. capital — a city
  13. suit — in cards
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. suit — clothes
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. cue — for pool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. net — for catching
  23. capital — money
  24. cabinet — ministers

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