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 · rash · chair · hide · stem · capital · pit · toast

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rash — a series
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. toast — bread
  9. root — of a word
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — money
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. root — the cause
  22. stem — to come from
  23. chair — a leader
  24. rash — hasty

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