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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. club — a group
  3. root — the cause
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. scale — in music
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. tube — the underground
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cap — of ice
  10. scale — size or range
  11. deal — to handle
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. club — for dancing
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lean — thin
  16. court — of law
  17. cap — a hat
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. court — of a king
  21. club — for golf
  22. root — of a word
  23. court — for sport
  24. scale — for weighing

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