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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. dip — to sink
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mug — a cup
  5. board — to get on
  6. mug — to rob
  7. clip — for paper
  8. object — a thing
  9. wake — a trail
  10. plane — a tool
  11. object — to protest
  12. root — the cause
  13. clip — to cut
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. clip — a video
  16. root — of a word
  17. object — an aim
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. board — a committee

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