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: row · vault · perch · roll · degree · bay · foot · bound

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. roll — a list
  5. bound — tied together
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. row — a line
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. vault — a safe
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. degree — from a university
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. degree — an amount
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. foot — the bottom

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