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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. charge — in control
  4. mark — a grade
  5. track — a path
  6. kid — child
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. vault — a safe
  11. track — to keep track
  12. root — the cause
  13. last — to go on
  14. root — of a word
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. charge — a price
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. kid — to tease
  21. last — final
  22. last — finally
  23. track — a song
  24. charge — electricity

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