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 120 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 · club · rash · vault · rest · root · press · perch

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. press — newspapers
  3. root — of a word
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rash — hasty
  7. club — for golf
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — an amount
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. press — to push
  13. club — a group
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. degree — temperature
  19. root — of a plant
  20. club — for dancing
  21. press — a publisher
  22. root — the cause
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rash — a series

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