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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. root — of a plant
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. tube — a container
  7. last — final
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. game — wild animals
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. last — finally
  14. root — of a word
  15. foot — a measure
  16. vault — a safe
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. last — to go on
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. stand — to bear
  23. game — a match
  24. root — the cause

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