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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. root — of a word
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. spring — the season
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. root — the cause
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — a trail
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. track — to keep track
  21. root — of a plant
  22. spring — a coil
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — of water

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