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: wake · plane · deal · root · date · track · pass · last

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — finally
  6. deal — to handle
  7. track — to keep track
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wake — a trail
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. track — a path
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pass — a permit
  16. root — the cause
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. last — final
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. track — a song
  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