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: kid · root · temple · spring · deal · key · mark · calf

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. spring — of water
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. key — for a lock
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. deal — to handle
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mark — a grade
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. kid — child
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. spring — the season
  15. key — in music
  16. mark — a trace
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. key — the most important part
  21. root — of a word
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. kid — to tease
  24. spring — a coil

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