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: ground · sharp · perch · leaves · root · mouse · rock · fine

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fine — all right
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rock — a stone
  9. ground — crushed
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. root — of a plant
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ground — a position
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a word
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rock — music
  21. ground — the earth
  22. perch — the fish
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mouse — the animal

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