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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. key — the most important part
  4. root — the cause
  5. capital — money
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stand — to bear
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. capital — a city
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. root — of a plant
  17. row — a line
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. root — of a word
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. row — to paddle
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. cue — a signal

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