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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — to be able to
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rest — what's left
  6. game — a match
  7. game — wild animals
  8. root — of a word
  9. can — a tin
  10. vault — a safe
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mark — a grade
  17. root — the cause
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. can — a tin
  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