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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rash — a series
  3. lean — thin
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. root — the cause
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. root — of a word
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pass — a permit
  17. tear — to rip
  18. tear — from crying
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rash — on the skin

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