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 116 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: race · root · lie · ground · bark · wax · last · calf

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. root — the cause
  3. race — the arms race
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wax — to grow
  6. last — finally
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ground — a position
  20. last — final
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. root — of a word
  23. bark — to shout
  24. wax — for sculpting

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