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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. clip — a video
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. clip — to cut
  14. row — a line
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. row — to paddle
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. root — of a word
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. clip — for paper

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