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: wound · racket · capital · root · present · tube · ruler · rest

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. root — of a word
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. wound — an injury
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rest — what's left
  10. root — the cause
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. root — of a plant
  13. present — a gift
  14. rest — a break
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. present — there
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. capital — money
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. capital — a city
  21. tube — a container
  22. present — the time now
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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