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: pound · arm · deal · root · season · plane · cabinet · temple

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. root — of a word
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. root — the cause
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. season — in sport
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pound — a weight
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. root — 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