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: present · stem · vault · race · club · toast · root · face

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. present — a gift
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. present — there
  8. root — of a word
  9. race — humankind
  10. root — the cause
  11. face — to point toward
  12. race — the arms race
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. toast — bread
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stem — to come from
  17. present — the time now
  18. club — a group
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. face — to confront
  21. race — a contest
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  24. stem — a stem cell

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