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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. root — of a word
  4. present — there
  5. saw — the tool
  6. root — the cause
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. chair — a leader
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fork — in a road
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — to sit on

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