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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. field — a subject
  4. root — of a word
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spring — the season
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ball — a dance
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. field — for sport
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. spring — of water
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mug — a face
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. root — the cause
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. field — farmland
  23. root — of a plant
  24. spring — a coil

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