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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. plane — a tool
  3. degree — from a university
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. root — of a plant
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. root — the cause
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. root — of a word
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. degree — temperature
  21. rule — a law
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. degree — an amount
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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