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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ball — a dance
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. cap — a hat
  8. band — a ring
  9. cap — a lid
  10. root — the cause
  11. band — a music group
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — of a word
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pass — to succeed

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