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: racket · bank · game · root · ground · vault · perch · board

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. root — of a word
  3. bank — for money
  4. root — the cause
  5. bank — of a river
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bank — for money
  8. root — of a plant
  9. ground — a position
  10. vault — a safe
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ground — the earth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. board — to get on
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. board — a committee
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. perch — the fish
  20. ground — crushed
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. game — a match
  24. game — wild animals

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