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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. root — the cause
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. root — of a word
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. prune — to trim
  20. squash — the sport
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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