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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. root — of a plant
  6. club — for dancing
  7. root — the cause
  8. chip — for betting
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — temperature
  13. root — of a word
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. club — for golf
  16. degree — an amount
  17. chip — to eat
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bark — to shout
  21. club — a group
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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