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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. can — to be able to
  3. band — a music group
  4. suit — to fit
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rule — a law
  10. band — a ring
  11. rash — a series
  12. root — the cause
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — a city
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. root — of a word
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rule — government

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