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: rest · vault · ruler · mine · bound · bat · snap · degree

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. vault — a safe
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. snap — to click
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rest — a break
  13. degree — temperature
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. degree — from a university
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bat — the animal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bound — obliged
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mine — for digging

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