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: degree · spring · jam · fan · vault · arm · stick · saw

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. spring — of water
  4. degree — an amount
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. spring — the season
  10. saw — the tool
  11. degree — temperature
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. saw — the tool
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. spring — a coil
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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