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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. rash — a series
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lean — to bend
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. degree — temperature
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cap — a lid
  12. lean — thin
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. degree — an amount
  15. cap — a hat
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cap — of ice
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rest — a break
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rash — on the skin

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