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 116 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: mouse · bear · vault · bound · ground · saw · stock · root

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. root — of a word
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. root — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bound — tied together
  15. ground — a position
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. ground — the earth
  21. stock — shares
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. root — the cause

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