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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mate — to breed
  3. court — for sport
  4. tube — a container
  5. degree — temperature
  6. mate — a friend
  7. degree — from a university
  8. court — of law
  9. lean — thin
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mate — a partner
  17. court — of a king
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. degree — an amount
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mark — a trace

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