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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. 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. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. degree — an amount
  8. craft — a skill
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. craft — boats
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pass — a permit
  16. drill — army training
  17. can — a tin
  18. 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