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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. root — the cause
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. root — of a word
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. board — a committee
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — of a plant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. board — to get on
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fall — to drop
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fall — the season

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