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: temple · calf · vault · ball · degree · mine · rule · pass

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rule — government
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. degree — from a university
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rule — a law
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pass — to spend time

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