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: tube · deal · cabinet · lie · shower · saw · patient · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lie — to recline
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. tube — the underground
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. shower — rain
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tube — a container
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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