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

Word bank: plane · wax · staff · scale · court · drill · perch · root

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. drill — a practice
  3. scale — size or range
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. staff — employees
  7. scale — in music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. court — for sport
  12. wax — to grow
  13. perch — the fish
  14. drill — the tool
  15. staff — employees
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. court — of a king
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. court — of law
  24. root — the cause

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