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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. key — for a lock
  4. root — the cause
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. court — for sport
  7. root — of a word
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pit — in a race
  10. root — of a plant
  11. key — in music
  12. spring — the season
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. current — of water
  15. band — a ring
  16. spring — a coil
  17. court — of a king
  18. current — electric
  19. branch — a division
  20. band — a music group
  21. court — of law
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pit — a hole

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