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: leaves · wake · present · board · mark · land · root · hide

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. mark — a trace
  4. land — ground
  5. root — of a word
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. land — a country
  10. wake — a trail
  11. root — of a plant
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. root — the cause
  20. present — there
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — to get on
  23. land — to come down
  24. hide — animal skin

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