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: fall · sharp · vault · mate · root · mug · pitcher · wind

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. root — of a word
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fall — the season
  6. mate — to breed
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wind — moving air
  9. root — the cause
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mug — a face
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mug — a cup
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mate — a friend

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