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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. clip — a video
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wake — a trail
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ground — the earth
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — a container
  15. clip — to cut
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. clip — for paper
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ground — a position
  24. root — of a word

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