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: wave · wax · bark · stem · toast · rest · ball · root

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bark — to shout
  3. root — the cause
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. toast — bread
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. rest — a break
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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