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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. board — a committee
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. last — to go on
  5. board — to get on
  6. root — the cause
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. root — of a plant
  9. track — to keep track
  10. lie — to recline
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — of a word
  17. last — final
  18. bulb — for light
  19. track — a path
  20. wax — to grow
  21. last — finally
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. board — a flat piece

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