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 116 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. swing — in golf
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. shower — rain
  6. capital — money
  7. land — to come down
  8. capital — a city
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — the cause
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — boats
  15. swing — to play on
  16. root — of a word
  17. land — a country
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. swing — music
  21. bank — of a river
  22. land — ground
  23. shower — to wash
  24. capital — a big letter

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