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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cold — an illness
  5. root — the cause
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cold — not warm
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. cap — a hat
  10. key — for a lock
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. roll — a cake
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fine — high quality
  15. key — the most important part
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fine — all right
  18. roll — a list
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cap — a lid
  21. key — in music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cold — the Cold War

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