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

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fine — all right
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fine — high quality
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bank — for money
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. root — the cause
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — a subject
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a word
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. field — farmland
  24. cap — a lid

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