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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. capital — money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. capital — a city
  7. cue — a hint
  8. last — finally
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. last — final
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. last — to go on
  20. race — a contest
  21. cue — for pool
  22. foot — a measure
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bulb — of a plant

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