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: plane · bass · leaves · bat · root · game · sharp · charge

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bass — low music
  3. root — of a plant
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bass — the fish
  11. root — the cause
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. charge — in control
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. charge — a price
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. root — of a word
  22. bat — the animal
  23. game — a match
  24. sharp — clever

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