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 120 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. game — wild animals
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. present — there
  5. rule — a law
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. root — of a plant
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. present — the time now
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. root — the cause
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. game — a match
  17. wax — to grow
  18. stand — to bear
  19. present — a gift
  20. root — of a word
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rule — government
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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