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: root · prune · face · pitch · wave · content · fan · suit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. face — to point toward
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. prune — to trim
  5. root — of a word
  6. content — the amount
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. root — the cause
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. face — to confront
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pitch — completely
  15. suit — to fit
  16. face — part of the head
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. content — happy
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wave — of the sea

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