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 124 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. cap — a lid
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. branch — a division
  24. degree — from a university

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