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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stem — to come from
  3. root — of a word
  4. file — a tool
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. file — a line of people
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. file — a document
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. track — a path
  20. saw — the tool
  21. track — a song
  22. rock — music
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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