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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. root — the cause
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. net — for catching
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. net — in sport
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. saw — the tool
  19. net — after costs
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. root — of a word
  24. rest — a break

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