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 · staff · root · club · mark · chip · lean · lash

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. club — for dancing
  5. staff — employees
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lean — thin
  8. root — of a word
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. root — the cause
  12. club — a group
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. staff — a stick
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. chip — to eat
  23. staff — employees
  24. lean — to bend

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