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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bound — obliged
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rash — a series
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rash — hasty
  11. root — the cause
  12. wax — to grow
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. object — to protest
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mate — to breed
  22. object — a thing
  23. snap — to click
  24. wax — in the ear

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