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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fall — the season
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bound — obliged
  10. prune — to trim
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bound — certain
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — the cause
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stem — to come from
  20. root — of a word
  21. fall — to drop
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bound — tied together

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