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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bear — the animal
  4. root — the cause
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. track — a song
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. root — of a plant
  9. track — to keep track
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ball — a great time
  17. branch — a division
  18. root — of a word
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wave — with your hand

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