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: saw · root · wound · lean · toast · wave · chest · stem

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. chest — of your body
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. root — of a word
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stem — to come from
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. toast — bread
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. chest — of your body
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. chest — a box
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a plant

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