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 · tear · calf · pop · root · mate · wake · current

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. root — the cause
  4. tear — from crying
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mate — a partner
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pop — music
  10. current — electric
  11. pop — soda
  12. mate — a friend
  13. tear — to rip
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. current — of water
  17. root — of a word
  18. face — to point toward
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. tear — from crying
  22. face — part of the head
  23. current — happening now
  24. face — to confront

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