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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. root — of a plant
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. root — of a word
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pop — music
  13. mine — for digging
  14. fork — in a road
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. root — the cause
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. clip — for paper
  22. face — part of the head
  23. pop — to visit
  24. clip — a video

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