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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. land — a country
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ground — crushed
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. root — of a word
  10. charge — in control
  11. cap — of ice
  12. root — of a plant
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. land — to come down
  15. charge — electricity
  16. land — ground
  17. ground — a position
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. charge — a price
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. ground — the earth
  22. root — the cause
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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