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

Word bank: chair · key · cabinet · stem · root · bass · drill · scale

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. drill — the tool
  3. chair — a leader
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. scale — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. root — the cause
  10. scale — size or range
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — in music
  16. stem — to come from
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. drill — army training
  20. root — of a word
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. root — of a plant
  23. drill — a practice
  24. scale — for weighing

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