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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. key — the most important part
  3. squash — the sport
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. squash — to crush
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a city
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. roll — a cake
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. root — the cause
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. root — of a plant
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. root — of a word
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. roll — a list

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