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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lean — to bend
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. root — of a word
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. current — electric
  10. race — humankind
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. root — the cause
  13. tube — the underground
  14. race — a contest
  15. snap — to click
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. current — happening now
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. race — the arms race
  22. current — of water
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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