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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tear — to rip
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. vault — a safe
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. plane — a tool
  10. degree — from a university
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — rain
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bulb — for light
  17. degree — an amount
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tear — from crying
  22. shower — to wash
  23. root — the cause
  24. plane — an aircraft

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