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: straw · roll · tear · leaves · cap · racket · vault · root

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cap — a lid
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. root — of a plant
  8. vault — a safe
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. root — the cause
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cap — of ice
  13. tear — from crying
  14. root — of a word
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. tear — from crying
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. roll — a cake
  19. tear — to rip
  20. roll — a list
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. cap — a hat
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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