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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a great time
  3. root — of a plant
  4. staff — a stick
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. drill — a practice
  8. current — electric
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. root — of a word
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rest — a break
  15. drill — army training
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. current — happening now
  18. stem — to come from
  19. root — the cause
  20. staff — employees
  21. current — of water
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. staff — employees

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