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: pop · saw · stand · toast · land · wound · root · leaves

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. land — to come down
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. land — a country
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. root — the cause
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. toast — bread
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. land — ground
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pop — soda
  23. wound — an injury
  24. root — of a word

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