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: craft · bass · root · face · game · plane · bowl · track

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. track — a path
  3. root — of a word
  4. craft — a skill
  5. game — wild animals
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. root — the cause
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. face — to point toward
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. craft — boats
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. root — of a plant
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bass — low music
  21. game — a match
  22. track — a song
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. face — to confront

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