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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. band — a ring
  3. root — the cause
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. craft — boats
  7. fall — to drop
  8. craft — a skill
  9. band — a music group
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fall — the season
  13. wake — a trail
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. root — of a word
  16. fall — to drop
  17. kick — in football
  18. root — of a plant
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. snap — to click
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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