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: root · tube · nail · kid · stick · cabinet · ground · kick

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. kid — child
  3. kid — to tease
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. kick — in football
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. ground — the earth
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. root — the cause
  17. ground — a position
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. tube — a container
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ground — crushed
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. nail — on a finger

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