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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — of a word
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bank — for money
  12. vault — a safe
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. root — the cause
  22. bark — to shout
  23. snap — to click
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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