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: bound · rule · rest · perch · vault · root · pop · straw

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rule — government
  4. bound — certain
  5. pop — soda
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rest — a break
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. rest — what's left
  11. root — of a plant
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pop — to visit
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bound — obliged
  19. root — of a word
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pop — music
  22. root — the cause
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. straw — a straw man

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