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 116 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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. root — the cause
  3. file — a document
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. object — a thing
  10. file — a tool
  11. object — an aim
  12. current — electric
  13. craft — a skill
  14. current — happening now
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. capital — a city
  19. root — of a plant
  20. capital — money
  21. object — to protest
  22. root — of a word
  23. tube — a container
  24. current — of water

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