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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. root — of a word
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bulb — for light
  7. root — the cause
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cue — a signal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cue — for pool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mine — an explosive

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