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: board · press · perch · degree · vault · toast

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. press — a publisher
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — temperature
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. press — newspapers
  8. perch — the fish
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. board — a committee
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. board — to get on
  17. toast — bread
  18. press — to push

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