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: present · sharp · board · wax · root · roll · game · toast

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. board — a committee
  3. root — the cause
  4. roll — a cake
  5. root — of a plant
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. present — a gift
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. game — a match
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. board — to get on
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. present — the time now
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. present — there
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. root — of a word
  22. sharp — clever
  23. game — wild animals
  24. toast — bread

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