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: deal · spring · rest · season · band · bore · chip · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. band — a music group
  4. season — in sport
  5. band — a ring
  6. root — the cause
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bore — to tire
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. season — of the year
  13. spring — the season
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bore — to drill
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. deal — an agreement

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