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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. drill — a practice
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — a safe
  9. drill — army training
  10. object — an aim
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. object — a thing
  19. drill — the tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rest — a break
  22. object — to protest
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pound — to hit hard

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