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: pop · drill · temple · lash · fall · spring · rest · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rest — a break
  7. drill — the tool
  8. root — the cause
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. drill — army training
  13. spring — the season
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pop — soda
  19. root — of a word
  20. pop — music
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fall — the season
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. spring — of water

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