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: roll · spell · coach · root · wake · date · leaves · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. root — of a word
  3. wake — a trail
  4. roll — a cake
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. date — the fruit
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. spell — magic
  11. fine — all right
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. roll — a list
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. spell — a short time
  19. root — the cause
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. spell — letters

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