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: bulb · content · degree · stem · present · vault

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. content — the amount
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. degree — from a university
  5. present — there
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bulb — for light
  12. content — happy
  13. present — a gift
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. present — the time now
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stem — to come from

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