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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. degree — temperature
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. degree — from a university
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. degree — an amount
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wake — a trail
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bat — the animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. dip — to sink

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