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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. root — the cause
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. root — of a word
  12. rock — music
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. face — to point toward
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. root — of a plant
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mine — for digging
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chair — a leader
  24. face — to confront

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