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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ground — a position
  5. root — the cause
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. game — a match
  8. pound — a weight
  9. ground — crushed
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pop — to visit
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pop — soda
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pop — music
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bulb — for light
  20. root — of a word
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. game — wild animals

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