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: object · cold · saw · wave · jam · root · pit · fan

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pit — a hole
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. root — of a word
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. object — to protest
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — in a race
  14. object — a thing
  15. cold — an illness
  16. root — of a plant
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. root — the cause
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. cold — not warm
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. saw — the tool

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