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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. object — an aim
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — from a university
  6. branch — a division
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rest — a break
  10. pound — a weight
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. object — to protest
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. object — a thing
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. rest — what's left
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rush — to hurry

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