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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fall — to drop
  3. root — the cause
  4. present — the time now
  5. cap — of ice
  6. fall — to drop
  7. root — of a word
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. land — to come down
  11. present — there
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fall — the season
  14. present — a gift
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. land — ground
  18. root — of a plant
  19. spell — letters
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cap — a hat
  23. spell — magic
  24. land — a country

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