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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. land — ground
  14. tube — a container
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. stand — to bear
  17. tear — to rip
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. root — the cause
  24. stand — on your feet

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