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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lean — to bend
  6. foot — a measure
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pit — a hole
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. face — part of the head
  12. degree — from a university
  13. pit — in a race
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mate — to breed
  16. face — to point toward
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mate — a partner
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. face — to confront
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. court — of law
  23. lean — thin
  24. date — the fruit

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