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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. track — a path
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pop — music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bore — to drill
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. can — a tin
  10. wind — moving air
  11. root — of a word
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. can — a tin
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bore — to tire
  20. root — the cause
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. track — a song
  24. wake — a trail

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