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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cap — of ice
  6. degree — temperature
  7. key — in music
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. key — for a lock
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — to get on
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cap — a hat
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. root — of a plant
  20. ball — a great time
  21. root — the cause
  22. board — a committee
  23. prune — to trim
  24. key — the most important part

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