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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. club — for dancing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. face — part of the head
  5. object — an aim
  6. club — for golf
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. club — a group
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bear — the animal
  15. key — in music
  16. face — to confront
  17. object — to protest
  18. key — the most important part
  19. root — the cause
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. object — a thing
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. root — 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