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: straw · wax · band · spring · root · lash · craft · safe

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. root — the cause
  4. band — a ring
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. root — of a plant
  8. band — a music group
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. spring — the season
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. root — of a word
  24. wax — to grow

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