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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. root — the cause
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bark — to shout
  7. root — of a word
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. root — of a plant
  10. spring — a coil
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. march — the month
  13. spring — of water
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. march — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spring — the season
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. sharp — clever
  20. vault — a safe
  21. charge — in control
  22. march — the month
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. arm — a part of something

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