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: roll · firm · rush · board · wound · clip · hide · root

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. firm — steady
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. clip — a video
  8. root — the cause
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. board — to get on
  11. roll — a list
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. board — a committee
  15. firm — decided
  16. roll — a cake
  17. clip — to cut
  18. rush — hurry
  19. firm — a company
  20. wound — an injury
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. clip — for paper
  23. wound — an injury
  24. root — of a word

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