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 120 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: wound · rest · wave · root · season · lean · craft · mine

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. root — of a plant
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mine — for digging
  5. wound — an injury
  6. season — of the year
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. season — in sport
  10. lean — to bend
  11. rest — a break
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. root — the cause
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rest — what's left
  19. craft — boats
  20. root — of a word
  21. lean — thin
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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