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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. spell — a short time
  6. craft — boats
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — a safe
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. root — the cause
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. row — to paddle
  16. root — of a word
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. root — of a plant
  20. swing — music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. wax — to grow
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. spell — magic

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