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: prune · present · land · vault · dip · drill · can · root

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — ground
  3. prune — to trim
  4. land — a country
  5. drill — army training
  6. root — of a word
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. root — the cause
  10. land — to come down
  11. present — a gift
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — the tool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. present — there
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. dip — to sink
  18. vault — a safe
  19. root — of a plant
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. drill — a practice
  22. prune — to trim
  23. present — the time now
  24. prune — the fruit

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