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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. chip — for betting
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. date — the fruit
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wind — moving air
  16. root — of a word
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pass — a permit
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. root — the cause
  24. chip — to eat

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