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: current · hand · mouse · trunk · capital · pass · stick · root

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. root — the cause
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. capital — a city
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. hand — in cards
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hand — help
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. current — happening now
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. capital — money
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. root — of a word
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. current — of water
  22. pass — a permit
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. current — electric

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