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: root · wake · object · band · rule · bowl · hide · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wake — a trail
  3. object — a thing
  4. rule — a law
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. band — a music group
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rule — government
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. band — a ring
  15. face — to point toward
  16. root — of a word
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. face — to confront
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wake — before a funeral

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