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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — of a word
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — a tool
  17. root — the cause
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. drill — army training
  24. rash — on the skin

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