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: bear · band · cabinet · cell · bat · fine · staff · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. root — of a word
  6. fine — high quality
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — in biology
  10. band — a ring
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bear — the animal
  20. band — a music group
  21. cell — a phone
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. staff — employees

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