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: wax · root · pit · lie · clip · rule · ball · fan

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — a video
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lie — to recline
  9. clip — for paper
  10. wax — to grow
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pit — in a race
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — government
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rule — a law
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rule — to rule out

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