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: band · hide · fork · lie · root · wave · can · net

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. root — of a word
  3. band — a ring
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. net — after costs
  7. band — a music group
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. root — of a plant
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. net — in sport
  16. lie — to recline
  17. net — for catching
  18. fork — in a road
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. root — the cause
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. band — a rubber band

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