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: ruler · bay · root · stock · spell · cabinet · wind · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wind — moving air
  3. root — the cause
  4. spell — letters
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — goods
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. root — of a word
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spell — magic
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. spell — a short time
  21. wind — moving air
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stock — shares
  24. ruler — a monarch

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