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: fan · snap · clip · plane · present · stock · march · root

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. march — music
  4. stock — shares
  5. present — the time now
  6. snap — to click
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. clip — to cut
  10. present — there
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. clip — for paper
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. clip — a video
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. present — a gift
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. march — the month
  24. root — the cause

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