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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. degree — temperature
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. swing — in golf
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. last — final
  10. deal — to handle
  11. last — to go on
  12. degree — an amount
  13. craft — boats
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. degree — from a university
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. last — finally
  18. craft — a skill
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mark — a grade
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. swing — music

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