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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. toast — bread
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. staff — a stick
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bark — to shout
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. key — in music
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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