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: chip · temple · saw · lie · last · snap · tube · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. saw — the tool
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chip — to eat
  11. root — of a plant
  12. chip — for betting
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. root — the cause
  19. last — final
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lie — to recline
  23. snap — to click
  24. tube — in a tire

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