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: spring · perch · calf · wound · suit · plane · root · straw

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. spring — of water
  4. root — the cause
  5. suit — clothes
  6. perch — the fish
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. suit — to fit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wound — an injury
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. wound — an injury
  19. suit — in cards
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. spring — the season
  22. root — of a word
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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