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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. root — the cause
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rock — a stone
  5. content — happy
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. root — of a word
  9. roll — a cake
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. scale — in music
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. face — to point toward
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. face — to confront
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. scale — size or range
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. root — of a plant
  24. content — the amount

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