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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. kick — in football
  6. spring — of water
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. rest — what's left
  12. capital — a city
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. capital — money
  15. rest — a break
  16. root — of a word
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pit — in a race
  24. kick — with a leg

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