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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. degree — from a university
  4. march — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. degree — an amount
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. squash — the sport
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — temperature
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. staff — a stick
  17. chest — of your body
  18. staff — employees
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chest — a box
  23. vault — a safe
  24. squash — the vegetable

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