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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. mug — a face
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. degree — temperature
  8. wound — an injury
  9. net — in sport
  10. fine — high quality
  11. degree — from a university
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. net — for catching
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fine — all right
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. degree — an amount
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mug — to rob
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. net — after costs

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