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 116 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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. face — to point toward
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mate — a partner
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — part of the head
  9. degree — from a university
  10. court — of law
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mate — a friend
  15. tube — a container
  16. court — for sport
  17. degree — an amount
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. court — of a king
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mate — to breed

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