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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. net — for catching
  3. rash — a series
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. net — after costs
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. net — in sport
  8. root — of a word
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. root — of a plant
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. root — the cause
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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