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 120 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: spring · spell · scale · root · mark · arm · key · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. root — the cause
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bulb — for light
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mark — a trace
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. spring — the season
  16. spell — a short time
  17. key — in music
  18. spring — of water
  19. root — of a plant
  20. spell — magic
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bulb — for light
  23. scale — in music
  24. spell — letters

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