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: safe · root · wax · ground · bark · mouse · key · bear

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bear — the animal
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. ground — a position
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. root — of a word
  19. ground — crushed
  20. key — in music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — for a lock

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