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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. net — in sport
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tube — the underground
  7. net — after costs
  8. root — the cause
  9. net — for catching
  10. key — the most important part
  11. last — final
  12. rest — a break
  13. last — to go on
  14. tube — a container
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. last — finally
  17. key — in music
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. root — of a word
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fall — the season
  24. rest — what's left

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