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 116 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: rest · root · stock · capital · vault · nail · season · tube

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. tube — a container
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rest — what's left
  11. capital — a city
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. rest — a break
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stock — goods
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. season — of the year
  19. stock — shares
  20. root — of a word
  21. season — in sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. vault — a safe
  24. root — of a plant

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