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

Word bank: tube · board · patient · saw · root · ball · plane · court

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. ball — a dance
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. root — the cause
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — of law
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. board — a committee
  14. plane — a tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. board — to get on
  17. root — of a word
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. court — for sport
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. ball — a great time
  24. root — of a plant

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