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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. spell — magic
  8. root — of a plant
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bulb — for light
  12. root — of a word
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rock — music
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wake — a trail
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. spell — letters

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