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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. key — in music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. ground — a position
  6. degree — an amount
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ground — crushed
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wax — to grow
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. degree — from a university
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. tube — a container

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