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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wake — a trail
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. capital — a city
  9. branch — a division
  10. root — of a word
  11. band — a music group
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. band — a ring
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stand — to bear
  18. swing — music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. root — the cause
  21. capital — money
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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