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: fine · drill · bass · wake · wind · leaves · root · lean

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. root — of a word
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lean — to bend
  8. root — the cause
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wind — moving air
  11. drill — army training
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. drill — a practice
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wind — moving air
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bass — low music
  20. lean — thin
  21. bass — the fish
  22. fine — all right
  23. wake — a trail
  24. leaves — of a tree

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