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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. spring — of water
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. root — of a word
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. charge — a price
  11. spring — the season
  12. root — of a plant
  13. spring — a coil
  14. root — the cause
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. chip — for betting
  20. roll — a cake
  21. stand — to bear
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. roll — a list
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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