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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. firm — steady
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. root — the cause
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. court — for sport
  14. firm — decided
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. root — of a plant
  18. firm — a company
  19. root — of a word
  20. court — of a king
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. court — of law
  24. mark — a grade

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