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: scale · last · key · rest · trunk · deal · root · race

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rest — what's left
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. root — of a plant
  5. key — the most important part
  6. last — finally
  7. key — in music
  8. root — of a word
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. race — a contest
  15. last — to go on
  16. rest — what's left
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. key — for a lock
  19. root — the cause
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. race — the arms race
  22. rest — a break
  23. last — final
  24. race — humankind

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