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: cap · coach · degree · pitcher · vault · stand · season · bear

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. cap — a lid
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. season — in sport
  15. stand — to bear
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. season — of the year
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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