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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — a video
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. root — the cause
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. root — of a word
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pit — in a race
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — to tire
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — a hole
  14. cold — an illness
  15. clip — to cut
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mine — for digging
  24. cold — not warm

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