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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. current — happening now
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rash — a series
  6. root — of a word
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. vault — a safe
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. root — of a plant
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. current — electric
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — the cause
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. current — of water
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. branch — of a tree

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