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: lean · date · pitch · cap · root · cabinet · straw · nail

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cap — of ice
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cap — a hat
  5. date — the fruit
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. root — of a word
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lean — thin
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. root — the cause
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. lean — to bend
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cap — a lid
  24. root — of a plant

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