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: prune · foot · fine · swing · root · vault · hand · drill

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. swing — music
  4. root — of a word
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. drill — the tool
  7. fine — high quality
  8. vault — a safe
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. root — of a plant
  15. swing — to play on
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. prune — to trim
  20. root — the cause
  21. hand — help
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fine — all right
  24. foot — a measure

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