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: present · rush · jam · ball · vault · clip · root · mark

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. clip — for paper
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mark — a grade
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. clip — a video
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. present — a gift
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. present — the time now
  22. root — of a plant
  23. present — there
  24. clip — to cut

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