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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. present — the time now
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wind — moving air
  9. shower — rain
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. root — the cause
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. mate — a friend
  17. root — of a word
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. shower — to wash

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