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: deal · present · trunk · ball · racket · root · plane · sharp

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. sharp — clever
  4. root — the cause
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a dance
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. root — of a word
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. plane — a tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. present — a gift
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ball — a great time
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. present — the time now
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. root — of a plant

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