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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. land — a country
  3. root — of a word
  4. pop — music
  5. land — to come down
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pop — soda
  9. fork — in a road
  10. degree — from a university
  11. cap — of ice
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. land — ground
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. degree — temperature
  18. cap — a lid
  19. root — the cause
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pop — to visit
  24. cap — a hat

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