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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cue — a signal
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bank — of a river
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. firm — a company
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fine — all right
  15. cue — for pool
  16. firm — decided
  17. shower — rain
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bank — for money
  20. firm — steady
  21. bank — for money
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fine — high quality
  24. degree — an amount

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