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: kick · trunk · capital · root · swing · pit · wave · temple

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. kick — in football
  5. capital — money
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. swing — in golf
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. root — the cause
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. swing — to play on
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. swing — music
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. capital — a city
  20. root — of a word
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pit — a hole

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