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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. press — a publisher
  5. degree — from a university
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — to push
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. press — newspapers
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. cue — for pool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. degree — temperature
  21. cue — a signal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — a hint
  24. saw — the tool

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