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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. present — there
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. degree — temperature
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. degree — an amount
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fall — the season
  13. mug — a face
  14. present — the time now
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mine — for digging
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. present — a gift
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bulb — for light

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