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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. root — the cause
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. mug — a face
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. root — of a word
  9. wind — moving air
  10. scale — in music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mug — a cup
  18. firm — a company
  19. scale — size or range
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wind — moving air
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mug — to rob
  24. wind — to turn a key

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