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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. plane — a tool
  3. season — of the year
  4. face — part of the head
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. root — of a word
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. root — of a plant
  15. face — to point toward
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. face — to confront
  20. root — the cause
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bark — to shout

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