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: root · shower · cabinet · ruler · band · rash · present · pitch

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. present — there
  4. rash — hasty
  5. pitch — completely
  6. root — the cause
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rash — a series
  9. band — a music group
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. present — the time now
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — rain
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. present — a gift
  21. band — a ring
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. shower — to wash

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