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 116 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: fan · band · root · mouse · wound · clip · pound · safe

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. clip — a video
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. pound — a weight
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wound — an injury

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