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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · degree · vault · safe · cabinet · pit

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. degree — from a university
  9. file — a tool
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — temperature
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pit — in a race
  16. file — a document
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger

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