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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lean — to bend
  3. tear — from crying
  4. vault — a safe
  5. root — the cause
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — thin
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. ground — crushed
  14. tear — from crying
  15. can — to be able to
  16. present — a gift
  17. ground — a position
  18. tear — to rip
  19. present — there
  20. can — a tin
  21. ground — the earth
  22. present — the time now
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. object — a thing

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