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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rest — a break
  3. cap — a lid
  4. degree — temperature
  5. current — of water
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. court — of a king
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bank — of a river
  11. current — happening now
  12. degree — from a university
  13. cap — a hat
  14. court — for sport
  15. bank — for money
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. current — electric
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rest — what's left
  21. court — of law
  22. cap — of ice
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rest — what's left

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