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: rash · coach · root · perch · ball · mark · wax · arm

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. root — the cause
  4. mark — a grade
  5. root — of a word
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wax — to grow
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rash — hasty
  20. mark — a trace
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wax — for sculpting

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