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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pass — a permit
  6. root — of a word
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rush — hurry
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. root — the cause
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rush — to hurry

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