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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. drill — a practice
  3. clip — for paper
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bank — for money
  7. drill — army training
  8. clip — to cut
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. object — a thing
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bank — of a river
  13. cap — a hat
  14. root — of a plant
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ball — a great time
  17. clip — a video
  18. object — an aim
  19. drill — the tool
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — of a word
  22. cap — a lid
  23. object — to protest
  24. bank — for money

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