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 · sharp · roll · arm · wound · pass · present · wind

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. root — the cause
  3. wind — moving air
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. root — of a word
  8. present — the time now
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. roll — a list
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. present — a gift
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. roll — a cake
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. present — there
  19. pass — a permit
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wound — an injury
  24. arm — part of the body

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