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 120 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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — of a plant
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. staff — employees
  7. tube — a container
  8. rash — hasty
  9. chip — for betting
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. root — of a word
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tube — the underground
  18. staff — a stick
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. root — the cause
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rash — a series
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. deal — to handle

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