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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. kid — child
  3. degree — temperature
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. degree — an amount
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. pit — a hole
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fine — high quality
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rock — a stone
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fine — all right
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. degree — from a university
  24. temple — a place of worship

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