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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ball — a great time
  4. root — of a word
  5. ball — a dance
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. fine — high quality
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. current — happening now
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. root — the cause
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. current — electric
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. current — of water
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wax — to grow
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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