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: branch · content · face · stem · game · wave · date · mark

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. date — the fruit
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mark — a trace
  5. branch — a division
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. face — to confront
  12. mark — a grade
  13. game — a match
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. content — the amount
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. face — to point toward
  19. content — happy
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. face — part of the head
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wave — of the sea

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