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: land · scale · lean · can · root · bear · pit · wind

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. scale — size or range
  3. can — to be able to
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. scale — in music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — of a word
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. root — the cause
  12. can — a tin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lean — thin
  22. land — ground
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wind — moving air

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