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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. tube — the underground
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. degree — from a university
  19. press — to push
  20. mark — a trace
  21. current — happening now
  22. mark — a grade
  23. degree — an amount
  24. deal — a big deal

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