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: stick · degree · rule · stand · mark · rest · toast · vault

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rest — what's left
  3. degree — from a university
  4. toast — bread
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. degree — an amount
  13. rest — a break
  14. rule — a law
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rest — what's left
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. vault — a safe
  23. degree — temperature
  24. rule — to rule out

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