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

Word bank: cabinet · vault · cell · mate · wave · degree

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. degree — temperature
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mate — a friend
  7. degree — an amount
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. degree — from a university

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