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: patient · root · stick · land · deal · toast · leaves · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. land — ground
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. land — to come down
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cap — of ice
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. root — of a word
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. root — the cause
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. deal — to handle
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. land — a country
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — bread
  21. cap — a lid
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. toast — the most admired

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