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: deal · plane · snap · stick · mouse · root · march · kick

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. plane — a tool
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. root — the cause
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. snap — to click
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. root — of a word
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. march — the month
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. march — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. march — the month

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