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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. court — of law
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. tear — from crying
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. root — the cause
  15. court — of a king
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. root — of a plant
  20. lie — to recline
  21. current — electric
  22. suit — clothes
  23. court — for sport
  24. suit — to fit

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