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: root · lean · rest · charge · last · safe · jam · capital

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. root — of a plant
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. charge — in control
  7. last — finally
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. last — final
  10. rest — what's left
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. lean — to bend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rest — what's left
  16. capital — a city
  17. root — the cause
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rest — a break
  20. capital — money
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lean — thin
  23. last — to go on
  24. lean — to rest against

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