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: wake · root · drill · hide · can · bound · face · bear

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bound — certain
  3. root — of a plant
  4. face — to confront
  5. bound — obliged
  6. wake — a trail
  7. drill — army training
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. can — a tin
  11. drill — a practice
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. root — the cause
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. root — of a word
  18. bound — tied together
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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