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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. field — farmland
  3. cap — a hat
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cap — of ice
  6. root — the cause
  7. field — a subject
  8. object — a thing
  9. mug — a face
  10. perch — the fish
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. root — of a word
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mug — to rob
  18. chair — a leader
  19. object — an aim
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. field — for sport
  22. object — to protest
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cap — a lid

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