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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. dip — to sink
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. key — in music
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. snap — to click
  13. bank — of a river
  14. degree — an amount
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bank — for money
  17. degree — from a university
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. key — the most important part
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pass — a permit
  22. perch — the fish
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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