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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bank — for money
  3. track — a path
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — of a plant
  10. roll — a list
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bank — for money
  15. ground — crushed
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. root — of a word
  19. track — a song
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bank — of a river
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. ground — a position
  24. root — the cause

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