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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  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. chip — in a computer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. kick — in football
  5. chip — for betting
  6. clip — for paper
  7. march — music
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. march — the month
  11. root — of a word
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. drill — army training
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. clip — to cut
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. root — the cause
  20. chip — to eat
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. march — the month
  23. clip — a video
  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