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: root · present · cell · date · nail · pound · toast · wax

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. date — the fruit
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. root — of a plant
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. toast — bread
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. root — the cause
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in biology

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