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

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chip — for betting
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to click
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. root — the cause
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. root — of a word
  13. plane — a tool
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. root — of a plant
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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