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: lean · root · sharp · cabinet · charge · pop · cap · kid

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. kid — to tease
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. kid — child
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pop — to visit
  11. sharp — clever
  12. root — the cause
  13. pop — music
  14. root — of a word
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cap — of ice
  19. charge — in control
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. charge — a price
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lean — thin
  24. root — of a plant

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