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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · root · capital · toast · current · snap · suit · trunk

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. root — the cause
  3. suit — in cards
  4. current — electric
  5. toast — bread
  6. snap — to click
  7. capital — a city
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. root — of a word
  10. current — happening now
  11. root — of a plant
  12. current — of water
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. capital — money
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. suit — clothes
  18. face — part of the head
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. suit — to fit
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. face — to point toward

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