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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. cell — in biology
  4. lean — thin
  5. tube — a container
  6. cell — a phone
  7. lean — to bend
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. degree — temperature
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tube — the underground
  24. ruler — a monarch

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