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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. root — the cause
  3. rush — hurry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. root — of a plant
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. land — ground
  13. root — of a word
  14. land — a country
  15. present — the time now
  16. fall — the season
  17. land — to come down
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bat — the animal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. present — there
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. present — a gift
  24. wave — with your hand

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