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 120 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: race · lie · mug · bark · drill · chest · vault · root

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. mug — a face
  3. drill — army training
  4. race — a contest
  5. chest — a box
  6. root — the cause
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mug — a cup
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bark — to shout
  12. root — of a word
  13. race — humankind
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mug — to rob
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. vault — a safe
  22. race — the arms race
  23. chest — of your body
  24. lie — an untruth

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