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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chair — a leader
  3. file — a line of people
  4. root — of a word
  5. snap — to click
  6. file — a tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. file — a document
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cue — a hint
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. cue — for pool
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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