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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. track — a path
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. band — a ring
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. band — a music group
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. degree — from a university
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. track — a song
  13. degree — temperature
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. bore — to drill
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. track — to keep track
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. degree — an amount
  24. vault — a safe

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