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: bark · cap · patient · land · root · bank · rule · row

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. root — the cause
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. cap — a hat
  6. land — a country
  7. bark — to shout
  8. land — to come down
  9. bank — of a river
  10. land — ground
  11. row — a line
  12. root — of a word
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bank — for money
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rule — a law
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bank — for money
  22. rule — government
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. row — a quarrel

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