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: net · vault · arm · present · rock · drill · root · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rock — a stone
  3. present — a gift
  4. net — in sport
  5. vault — a safe
  6. fall — the season
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. net — after costs
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — of a word
  14. present — there
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rock — music
  17. present — the time now
  18. net — for catching
  19. root — the cause
  20. drill — army training
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fall — to drop
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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