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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mug — a cup
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. capital — money
  5. mug — to rob
  6. kick — in football
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. root — the cause
  9. firm — a company
  10. root — of a plant
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. cold — an illness
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. vault — a safe
  15. root — of a word
  16. mug — a face
  17. snap — to click
  18. firm — decided
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. firm — steady
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. capital — a city
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. cold — not warm

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