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 120 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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. root — of a word
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. branch — a division
  6. root — the cause
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rule — government
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rule — a law
  12. spring — of water
  13. chest — of your body
  14. mug — a face
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. chest — of your body
  18. spring — the season
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spring — a coil

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