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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mark — a trace
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. tear — to rip
  8. present — there
  9. season — of the year
  10. track — a path
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — a gift
  14. track — a song
  15. tear — from crying
  16. degree — temperature
  17. season — in sport
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. present — the time now
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. degree — from a university
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mark — to pay attention

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