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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. track — a song
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. track — to keep track
  5. clip — a video
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — electric
  8. root — of a plant
  9. current — happening now
  10. clip — to cut
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a path
  15. current — of water
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. root — the cause
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. clip — for paper
  21. root — of a word
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. ruler — a monarch

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