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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. root — the cause
  3. degree — an amount
  4. spring — a coil
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cap — a lid
  7. degree — from a university
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. degree — temperature
  12. root — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. club — a group
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. club — for golf
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. root — of a word
  21. cap — a hat
  22. club — for dancing
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. safe — out of danger

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