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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · net · vault · game · stick · spring

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. net — in sport
  3. vault — a safe
  4. spring — the season
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. game — a match
  7. spring — a coil
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. root — of a plant
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. root — the cause
  17. spring — of water
  18. root — of a word

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