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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. degree — temperature
  3. land — a country
  4. degree — an amount
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rest — a break
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. land — to come down
  15. craft — a skill
  16. land — ground
  17. rock — music
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rest — what's left
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rock — a stone
  24. craft — boats

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