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: vault · temple · arm · degree · object · roll · wax · stand

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. roll — a list
  9. degree — an amount
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. object — to protest
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. roll — a cake
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. degree — from a university
  17. object — a thing
  18. vault — a safe
  19. degree — temperature
  20. stand — to bear
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. object — an aim
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. temple — a place of worship

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