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: plane · root · last · object · bound · bat · scale · tear

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bound — obliged
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bound — tied together
  6. root — the cause
  7. last — finally
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. object — an aim
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. last — to go on
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. scale — size or range
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bound — certain
  19. last — final
  20. object — to protest
  21. root — of a plant
  22. object — a thing
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. scale — in music

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