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: rash · tube · game · pass · mine · root · bay · leaves

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rash — a series
  6. root — of a word
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. root — of a plant
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mine — for digging
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. root — the cause
  18. pass — a permit
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. tube — a container
  22. game — a match
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. game — wild animals

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