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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bank — for money
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bank — for money
  8. race — the arms race
  9. spell — a short time
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. race — humankind
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cap — of ice
  17. race — a contest
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cap — a hat
  24. tube — a container

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