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: snap · stick · scale · foot · mark · root · cap · wind

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cap — a lid
  8. scale — in music
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. scale — size or range
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. snap — to click
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wind — moving air
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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