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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. rest — what's left
  3. firm — decided
  4. scale — in music
  5. firm — a company
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. degree — temperature
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rest — a break
  21. firm — steady
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rest — what's left
  24. scale — size or range

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