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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. root — of a word
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rash — a series
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mark — a grade
  9. band — a ring
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a line of people
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. file — a tool
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. band — a music group
  23. file — a document
  24. fan — a supporter

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