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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lean — to bend
  3. root — the cause
  4. scale — size or range
  5. wake — a trail
  6. lean — thin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. face — to confront
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stock — goods
  13. last — to go on
  14. stock — shares
  15. face — to point toward
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. scale — in music
  20. last — finally
  21. root — of a word
  22. face — part of the head
  23. last — final
  24. stock — a soup base

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