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: lean · lie · plane · snap · saw · court · drill · root

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lean — thin
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. court — for sport
  9. plane — a tool
  10. root — of a word
  11. saw — the tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. drill — the tool
  15. root — the cause
  16. drill — army training
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lie — to recline
  22. saw — the tool
  23. snap — to click
  24. lean — to bend

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