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: safe · wind · stem · wake · wave · track · game · root

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wind — moving air
  5. track — a path
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wake — a trail
  14. track — to keep track
  15. root — of a word
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. root — of a plant
  21. game — a match
  22. root — the cause
  23. track — a song
  24. safe — out of danger

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