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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. staff — a stick
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. cue — for pool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. face — to point toward
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. root — of a word
  11. suit — in cards
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. face — to confront
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. face — part of the head
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cue — a signal
  24. root — of a plant

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