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: hide · root · rock · key · cell · can · pitch · plane

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. root — the cause
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. cell — a phone
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — for a lock
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. key — in music
  15. rock — music
  16. can — a tin
  17. cell — in biology
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — the most important part
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. plane — a tool

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