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: firm · wound · root · arm · rule · wind · rush · calf

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — steady
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. root — of a plant
  11. firm — a company
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — decided
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rule — government
  23. root — of a word
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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