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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. net — in sport
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. root — of a word
  6. net — for catching
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. board — to get on
  10. net — after costs
  11. wax — to grow
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bank — for money
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bank — for money
  18. root — of a plant
  19. row — to paddle
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bank — of a river
  22. board — a committee
  23. root — the cause
  24. rush — to hurry

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