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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mate — a friend
  3. row — a line
  4. mate — to breed
  5. root — of a word
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. prune — to trim
  11. object — to protest
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — thin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lean — to bend
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. root — the cause
  23. mate — a partner
  24. root — of a plant

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