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: date · fall · wake · cabinet · plane · root · suit · last

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fall — the season
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. last — final
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — of a word
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. root — the cause
  14. last — to go on
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. date — the fruit
  18. fall — to drop
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. suit — to fit
  22. last — finally
  23. wake — a trail
  24. plane — an aircraft

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