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 120 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: spring · bore · root · rule · bulb · spell · band · foot

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — government
  4. band — a music group
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. root — of a word
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. spell — letters
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. spell — magic
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. spring — the season
  18. bore — to drill
  19. root — of a plant
  20. spring — of water
  21. bulb — for light
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rule — a law
  24. band — a ring

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