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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mate — a partner
  4. rest — what's left
  5. root — of a plant
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rest — a break
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mate — a friend
  14. root — of a word
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. branch — a division
  17. bear — the animal
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. root — the cause

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