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 124 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. present — the time now
  4. root — of a plant
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pit — in a race
  7. present — there
  8. foot — a measure
  9. tear — to rip
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wind — moving air
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. root — of a word
  19. wind — moving air
  20. present — a gift
  21. wound — an injury
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. tear — from crying
  24. root — the cause

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