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 · key · cabinet · ground · staff · capital · trunk · hand

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — in cards
  3. root — the cause
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. key — in music
  8. staff — employees
  9. ground — the earth
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. key — the most important part
  12. staff — employees
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. capital — a city
  17. key — for a lock
  18. staff — a stick
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. ground — a position
  21. capital — money
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. root — of a word
  24. ground — crushed

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