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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — to come down
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rest — what's left
  6. root — of a plant
  7. branch — a division
  8. key — in music
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. land — a country
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — the cause
  14. key — the most important part
  15. land — ground
  16. court — of law
  17. key — for a lock
  18. court — for sport
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rest — a break
  21. court — of a king
  22. wake — a trail
  23. root — of a word
  24. branch — of a bank

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