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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. dip — to sink
  3. root — the cause
  4. wind — moving air
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cap — of ice
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. root — of a word
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. spring — of water
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cap — a hat
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. vault — a safe
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. root — of a plant
  24. squash — the sport

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