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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chip — for betting
  6. root — the cause
  7. season — in sport
  8. root — of a word
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. face — to point toward
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. season — of the year
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. band — a ring
  21. root — of a plant
  22. band — a music group
  23. face — to confront
  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