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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. root — the cause
  4. content — happy
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kid — child
  9. tube — the underground
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. content — the amount
  17. tube — a container
  18. key — for a lock
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. kid — to tease
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. root — of a word

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