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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. root — the cause
  3. tear — from crying
  4. current — happening now
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ground — a position
  11. capital — a city
  12. current — electric
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. root — of a plant
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. current — of water
  18. capital — money
  19. root — of a word
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bulb — for light
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bulb — of a plant

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