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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bark — to shout
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — temperature
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. snap — to click
  13. pitch — completely
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. vault — a safe
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cell — a phone
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. stand — to bear

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