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 124 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. chest — of your body
  6. root — of a word
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. clip — a video
  10. row — to paddle
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. clip — for paper
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. cap — a lid
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. row — a line
  18. clip — to cut
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. chest — a box
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. root — of a plant

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