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: cap · key · root · mate · pit · jam · tear · can

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. key — in music
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pit — in a race
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tear — from crying
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. cap — a lid
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mate — a friend
  14. tear — to rip
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — of ice
  21. tear — from crying
  22. root — of a plant
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — to breed

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