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 120 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 · mine · plane · season · fine · cell · scale · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. season — in sport
  7. fine — high quality
  8. scale — size or range
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. current — electric
  11. root — the cause
  12. season — of the year
  13. root — of a plant
  14. scale — in music
  15. current — of water
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. fine — all right
  19. current — happening now
  20. mine — for digging
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cell — in a prison

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