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: cue · ball · snap · deal · root · jam · perch · bulb

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. perch — the fish
  3. root — the cause
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bulb — for light
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. root — of a plant
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bulb — for light
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. root — of a word
  24. bulb — 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