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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bass — the fish
  5. degree — temperature
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. land — to come down
  8. fall — to drop
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. fall — to drop
  12. track — a path
  13. deal — to handle
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fall — the season
  17. land — a country
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. degree — an amount
  20. bass — low music
  21. land — ground
  22. branch — a division
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bound — certain

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