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: hide · root · last · bound · stock · track · roll · vault

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. last — finally
  3. root — the cause
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. roll — a cake
  11. last — to go on
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. root — of a word
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. last — final
  19. vault — a safe
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. roll — a list
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. roll — on a roll

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