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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rest — a break
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. object — an aim
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. root — of a word
  10. tube — the underground
  11. game — wild animals
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. object — a thing
  14. fall — to drop
  15. game — a match
  16. object — to protest
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fall — the season
  21. mine — for digging
  22. fall — to drop
  23. tube — a container
  24. game — a kind of play

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