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: root · row · clip · plane · stem · jam · game · rush

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rush — hurry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. clip — to cut
  10. root — of a word
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. row — to paddle
  13. root — the cause
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. clip — for paper
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. root — of a plant
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. clip — a video
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. row — a line
  23. game — a match
  24. game — wild animals

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