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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — to protest
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. hand — help
  6. vault — a safe
  7. object — a thing
  8. degree — from a university
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. hand — in cards
  11. object — an aim
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — to bear
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. degree — an amount
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. degree — temperature
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stock — shares
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — goods
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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