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 · rash · land · vault · rock · mug · racket · stick

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rash — hasty
  3. mug — to rob
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. degree — temperature
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rock — music
  11. degree — an amount
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mug — a face
  15. land — a country
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. land — to come down
  20. rash — a series
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rock — a stone
  23. land — ground
  24. degree — from a university

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