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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bound — certain
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. root — of a word
  6. kick — in football
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. hand — help
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fall — the season
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. root — the cause
  19. hand — in cards
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fall — to drop

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