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 was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. net — for catching
  5. root — of a plant
  6. object — to protest
  7. pound — a weight
  8. root — the cause
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. root — of a word
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. key — in music
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. key — the most important part
  15. net — in sport
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. key — for a lock
  20. branch — a division
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. cabinet — ministers

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