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

Word bank: snap · root · bulb · bowl · ground · wave · rule · board

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. root — of a plant
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rule — government
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. snap — to click
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. root — the cause
  15. rule — a law
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. ground — a position
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ground — the earth
  22. root — of a word
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bowl — to roll

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