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 · season · date · fall · mark · land · root · fork

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. suit — to fit
  4. land — to come down
  5. root — of a word
  6. suit — in cards
  7. land — ground
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fall — the season
  10. season — of the year
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fall — to drop
  13. root — of a plant
  14. season — in sport
  15. mark — a trace
  16. date — the fruit
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. root — the cause
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. suit — clothes
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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