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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. root — the cause
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wax — to grow
  8. last — finally
  9. stand — to bear
  10. last — to go on
  11. root — of a word
  12. snap — to click
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. last — final
  15. tube — a container
  16. bass — low music
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. root — of a plant
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lean — thin

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