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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · coach · pop · wave · capital · hide · root · patient

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. root — the cause
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ground — crushed
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pop — soda
  12. capital — a city
  13. root — of a word
  14. ground — the earth
  15. pop — to visit
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pop — music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ground — a position
  24. capital — money

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