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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. degree — from a university
  3. pit — a hole
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. degree — an amount
  10. pitch — completely
  11. board — a committee
  12. pit — in a race
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. band — a music group
  16. pop — to visit
  17. vault — a safe
  18. pop — soda
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. degree — temperature
  21. board — to get on
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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