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: game · plane · nail · root · staff · tear · lean · lie

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. tear — from crying
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — of a word
  5. lean — thin
  6. staff — a stick
  7. plane — a tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. game — wild animals
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. staff — employees
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. game — a match
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. lean — to bend
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. staff — employees

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