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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. can — a tin
  2. spell — magic
  3. can — a tin
  4. cap — of ice
  5. suit — in cards
  6. root — of a plant
  7. last — to go on
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. last — final
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. last — finally
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. can — to be able to
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pit — a hole
  16. root — the cause
  17. spell — letters
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pit — in a race
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. root — of a word
  22. cap — a hat
  23. suit — to fit
  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