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: vault · mate · foot · stem · kid · rest · prune · leaves

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mate — a partner
  5. prune — to trim
  6. kid — to tease
  7. mate — a friend
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stem — to come from
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. foot — a measure
  17. kid — child
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mate — to breed
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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