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 116 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. plane — a tool
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. club — a group
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. root — of a word
  13. club — for dancing
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ball — a great time
  18. club — for golf
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ball — a round shape

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