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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wound — an injury
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rest — a break
  15. root — of a word
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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