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

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. mate — to breed
  3. current — electric
  4. root — of a word
  5. game — a match
  6. root — the cause
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mate — a partner
  9. last — finally
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wake — a trail
  13. last — final
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. current — of water
  17. last — to go on
  18. stem — to come from
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. current — happening now
  22. game — wild animals
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. lash — to lash out

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