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 116 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. current — of water
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — ground
  12. ground — a position
  13. bear — the animal
  14. root — of a word
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. current — happening now
  17. root — of a plant
  18. current — electric
  19. ground — crushed
  20. tube — a container
  21. root — the cause
  22. ground — the earth
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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