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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. root — the cause
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. degree — temperature
  5. scale — in music
  6. degree — an amount
  7. root — of a word
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. scale — size or range
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. root — of a plant
  18. firm — steady
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. shower — rain
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. degree — from a university
  24. fan — a supporter

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