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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. root — of a plant
  5. saw — the tool
  6. current — happening now
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. capital — a city
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. root — the cause
  13. cue — a signal
  14. capital — money
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. current — of water
  19. saw — the tool
  20. current — electric
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. dip — to sink

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