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: march · leaves · root · rule · saw · ground · tube · cue

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. cue — a hint
  3. root — the cause
  4. ground — crushed
  5. march — the month
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. cue — a signal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. march — music
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. root — of a plant
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. rule — government
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. cue — for pool
  23. march — the month
  24. rule — a law

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