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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pop — to visit
  4. band — a ring
  5. pop — music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pop — soda
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. band — a music group
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bore — to tire
  13. staff — employees
  14. swing — music
  15. tube — a container
  16. mug — a cup
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. root — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. root — the cause
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bore — to drill

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