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: foot · band · ball · toast · root · plane · charge · wound

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. charge — electricity
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. root — of a plant
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wound — an injury
  11. ball — a dance
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wound — an injury
  14. band — a ring
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. root — the cause
  17. charge — in control
  18. ball — a great time
  19. band — a music group
  20. toast — bread
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. charge — a price
  24. toast — the most admired

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