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: bulb · plane · ground · racket · root · cue · tear · rest

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. root — of a word
  5. rest — a break
  6. cue — for pool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ground — crushed
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. cue — a hint
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ground — the earth
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — a signal
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. racket — for tennis

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