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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lean — thin
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. kid — child
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kid — to tease
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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