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: game · deal · pop · plane · root · straw · wax · roll

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. plane — a tool
  3. game — a match
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. root — of a word
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. root — of a plant
  9. pop — soda
  10. roll — a list
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. roll — a cake
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. pop — to visit
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pop — music
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. wax — to grow
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. root — the cause
  24. deal — an agreement

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