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: mine · deal · present · fan · racket · rest · stem · vault

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mine — for digging
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. present — the time now
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. present — there
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stem — to come from
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. present — a gift
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rest — what's left

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