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: bay · cue · root · chair · toast · field · cap · nail

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. root — the cause
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. field — for sport
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. field — a subject
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cue — a hint
  11. root — of a plant
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. root — of a word
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cue — for pool
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. chair — a leader
  22. field — farmland
  23. cap — a hat
  24. nail — for a hammer

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