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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. row — to paddle
  9. root — the cause
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — a line
  12. land — ground
  13. root — of a plant
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — happening now
  17. root — of a word
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. land — to come down
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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