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 120 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: prune · ground · mouse · fork · root · leaves · race · key

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ground — a position
  5. fork — in a road
  6. key — in music
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. prune — to trim
  11. root — of a plant
  12. race — humankind
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. key — for a lock
  15. race — a contest
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. race — the arms race
  22. key — the most important part
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mouse — for a computer

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