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: suit · pound · bark · stem · band · face · scale · root

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pound — a weight
  3. root — of a word
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. band — a ring
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bark — to shout
  9. suit — in cards
  10. root — of a plant
  11. band — a music group
  12. face — part of the head
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. root — the cause
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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