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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. net — after costs
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. net — for catching
  9. snap — to click
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. net — in sport
  14. root — of a word
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bore — to drill
  17. root — the cause
  18. sharp — exactly

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