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: ruler · wind · firm · degree · vault · key · spell · snap

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. spell — magic
  4. snap — to click
  5. key — the most important part
  6. degree — from a university
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wind — moving air
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. firm — a company
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. firm — decided
  13. key — for a lock
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. spell — letters
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. key — in music
  20. degree — an amount
  21. firm — steady
  22. spell — a short time
  23. wind — moving air
  24. degree — temperature

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