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: bay · ground · pitch · vault · root · rest · charge · track

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rest — a break
  3. ground — crushed
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — in control
  6. ground — a position
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. charge — electricity
  9. root — the cause
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pitch — completely
  14. track — to keep track
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. track — a path
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. root — of a word
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. track — a song
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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