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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. vault — a safe
  2. tube — the underground
  3. root — of a plant
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. game — wild animals
  6. root — the cause
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. root — of a word
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. deal — to handle
  18. game — a match
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pass — to spend time
  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