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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. root — the cause
  4. kid — to tease
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kid — child
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pit — a hole
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. root — of a word

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