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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bear — the animal
  4. roll — a cake
  5. squash — the sport
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. roll — a list
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. key — in music
  11. root — of a word
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. rock — music
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. rock — a stone
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. key — the most important part
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. cap — a hat

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