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

Word bank: cap · wake · root · pit · hide · press · capital · rest

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. cap — a hat
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. press — newspapers
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. wake — a trail
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cap — a lid
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. capital — a city
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. capital — money
  21. cap — of ice
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pit — a hole

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