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: wax · root · bass · trunk · vault · date · mine · lean

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. date — the fruit
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bass — low music
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. root — of a plant
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wax — to grow
  24. trunk — of a car

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