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: craft · bay · kick · wind · straw · wave · root · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. kick — in football
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wind — moving air
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wind — moving air
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. craft — boats
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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