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: current · ruler · perch · root · pop · game · wax · lean

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wax — to grow
  4. current — electric
  5. lean — to bend
  6. game — a match
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. perch — the fish
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. lean — thin
  14. pop — to visit
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pop — music
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. pop — soda
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. perch — for a bird

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