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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pop — music
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cap — a lid
  10. root — of a word
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pop — soda
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. root — the cause
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fall — the season
  22. mate — a partner
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mate — to breed

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