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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. root — of a word
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. root — the cause
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. leaves — lets stay

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