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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cap — of ice
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rock — music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. root — of a word
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bore — to drill
  22. cap — a hat
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rush — hurry

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