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

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. degree — an amount
  3. degree — temperature
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. field — a subject
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. suit — clothes
  10. key — the most important part
  11. fine — all right
  12. bulb — for light
  13. key — in music
  14. fine — high quality
  15. suit — in cards
  16. field — for sport
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. field — farmland
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. suit — to fit

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