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: roll · root · board · lean · wax · leaves · dip · land

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. land — a country
  11. land — to come down
  12. lean — to bend
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. land — ground
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. root — of a plant
  17. board — to get on
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. wax — to grow
  20. roll — a list
  21. root — the cause
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. root — of a word

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