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: cell · root · saw · land · hide · firm · fine · can

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. land — a country
  8. root — of a plant
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. land — ground
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. firm — a company
  14. can — to be able to
  15. root — of a word
  16. land — to come down
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. firm — steady
  19. can — a tin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. firm — decided
  24. root — the cause

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