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: snap · drill · degree · mine · root · stand · stem · tube

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. drill — the tool
  3. degree — temperature
  4. tube — a container
  5. root — of a word
  6. snap — to click
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mine — for digging
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. drill — army training
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. tube — the underground
  18. root — the cause
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. degree — from a university
  24. drill — a practice

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