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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. charge — a price
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. degree — an amount
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. charge — electricity
  7. vault — a safe
  8. degree — from a university
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. kick — in football
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pit — in a race
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pit — a hole
  24. charge — in control

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