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

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. object — an aim
  3. dip — to sink
  4. craft — boats
  5. present — there
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. present — the time now
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. craft — a skill
  11. object — a thing
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. root — the cause
  14. object — to protest
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wax — to grow
  21. present — a gift
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. craft — a handicraft

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