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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. band — a music group
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. key — the most important part
  11. band — a ring
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mine — for digging
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. root — of a word
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. key — in music
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. deal — to handle
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. deal — an agreement

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