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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. root — the cause
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wound — an injury
  7. root — of a word
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cap — a hat
  10. fall — to drop
  11. face — to confront
  12. lean — thin
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. toast — bread
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fall — the season

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