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 120 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: bark · key · mug · land · wake · root · wave · track

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. root — of a plant
  6. key — in music
  7. track — a path
  8. root — of a word
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. land — a country
  14. track — a song
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mug — to rob
  17. root — the cause
  18. land — ground
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. land — to come down
  24. bark — of a tree

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