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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rest — what's left
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. staff — a stick
  10. march — the month
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. march — music
  15. rest — a break
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. root — the cause
  18. staff — employees
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. staff — employees
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. march — the month

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