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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. clip — for paper
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. pop — music
  6. clip — a video
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pop — to visit
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pop — soda
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mouse — for a computer

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