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: scale · wake · spell · roll · root · mug · lie · date

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. root — of a plant
  3. date — the fruit
  4. root — the cause
  5. spell — a short time
  6. roll — a list
  7. root — of a word
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — in music
  13. wake — a trail
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. lie — to recline
  16. scale — size or range
  17. mug — to rob
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. lie — an untruth

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