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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. root — of a plant
  4. squash — the sport
  5. charge — a price
  6. scale — in music
  7. ground — crushed
  8. squash — to crush
  9. charge — electricity
  10. firm — steady
  11. charge — in control
  12. cold — an illness
  13. root — of a word
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. firm — a company
  17. cold — not warm
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. firm — decided
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. scale — size or range

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