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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. degree — temperature
  5. hand — help
  6. degree — from a university
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. degree — an amount
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pitch — completely
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. rock — music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wound — an injury
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. wound — an injury
  24. hand — in cards

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