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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. degree — temperature
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cue — a hint
  11. degree — from a university
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ground — the earth
  14. scale — in music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ground — crushed
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. degree — an amount
  22. cue — a signal
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. scale — size or range

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