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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. vault — a safe
  7. last — to go on
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mate — to breed
  11. degree — temperature
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. last — finally
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fork — in a road
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. last — final
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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