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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. capital — a city
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bank — for money
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bank — of a river
  13. net — after costs
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. net — for catching
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. capital — money
  19. net — in sport
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bank — for money
  22. root — of a word
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. stem — a stem cell

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