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: branch · bat · chip · game · plane · ball · rush · root

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. plane — a tool
  13. root — the cause
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chip — to eat
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. game — wild animals
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. root — of a word

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