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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bass — low music
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. clip — a video
  6. root — the cause
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. clip — for paper
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. clip — to cut
  12. vault — a safe
  13. club — a group
  14. stem — to come from
  15. spell — a short time
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bass — the fish
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. spell — magic
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. deal — to handle
  23. club — for golf
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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