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: charge · wake · fork · prune · racket · last · root · vault

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. vault — a safe
  4. prune — to trim
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wake — a trail
  7. last — finally
  8. root — the cause
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. charge — a price
  11. fork — in a road
  12. charge — electricity
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — of a word
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. root — of a plant
  22. last — to go on
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. last — final

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