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: leaves · root · cabinet · hand · stem · ruler · mouse · ball

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — the cause
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. ball — a great time
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. root — of a plant
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hand — in cards
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hand — help
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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