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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. root — of a word
  3. kick — in football
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fall — the season
  6. rash — a series
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fall — to drop
  14. capital — money
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. capital — a city
  17. fall — to drop
  18. root — the cause
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mark — a trace
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bore — to drill
  24. kick — a thrill

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