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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. root — of a word
  4. file — a tool
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. file — a line of people
  7. wake — a trail
  8. file — a document
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. root — the cause
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. stem — to come from
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. scale — size or range
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. scale — in music
  24. fan — a supporter

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