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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · wax · row · firm · branch · face · stick · wound

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wax — to grow
  7. face — to point toward
  8. branch — a division
  9. firm — decided
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. firm — steady
  12. face — to confront
  13. root — of a word
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. root — the cause
  18. wound — an injury
  19. root — of a plant
  20. firm — a company
  21. row — a line
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. branch — of a bank

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