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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. present — a gift
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. land — to come down
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. land — ground
  9. degree — temperature
  10. chip — for betting
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. land — a country
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. present — there
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. chip — to eat
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. degree — an amount
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. present — the time now
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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