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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. swing — to play on
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. swing — music
  16. stem — to come from
  17. sharp — clever
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wake — a trail
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. swing — in golf
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. sharp — exactly

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