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: root · perch · bark · stand · fine · march · tube · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. march — the month
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. root — the cause
  5. face — to confront
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fine — all right
  11. root — of a word
  12. march — the month
  13. tube — a container
  14. perch — the fish
  15. root — of a plant
  16. march — music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. stand — to bear
  21. face — to point toward
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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