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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. ground — a position
  3. net — for catching
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cold — an illness
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. staff — employees
  10. ground — the earth
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. suit — to fit
  13. net — after costs
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. ground — crushed
  17. staff — employees
  18. foot — a measure
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. staff — a stick
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. net — in sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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