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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. root — of a word
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. tube — a container
  7. ball — a dance
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. capital — a city
  10. stand — to bear
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cue — a signal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. root — the cause
  17. capital — money
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cue — a hint
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. safe — a strongbox

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