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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. land — to come down
  3. degree — temperature
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bear — the animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. stand — to bear
  8. vault — a safe
  9. land — a country
  10. present — a gift
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. present — there
  16. rest — what's left
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. land — ground
  23. present — the time now
  24. bulb — for light

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