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: mine · drill · vault · current · cue · spell · root · kid

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. current — electric
  3. root — the cause
  4. spell — a short time
  5. current — of water
  6. kid — to tease
  7. drill — the tool
  8. vault — a safe
  9. cue — a hint
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cue — for pool
  13. spell — magic
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — for digging
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — army training
  20. current — happening now
  21. kid — child
  22. cue — a signal
  23. spell — letters
  24. mine — an explosive

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