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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. key — for a lock
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. root — of a plant
  5. land — a country
  6. lie — to recline
  7. key — the most important part
  8. land — to come down
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. march — the month
  13. root — of a word
  14. key — in music
  15. present — there
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. spring — a coil
  18. present — a gift
  19. march — the month
  20. spring — the season
  21. march — music
  22. land — ground
  23. root — the cause
  24. spring — of water

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