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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. degree — temperature
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. court — for sport
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. court — of a king
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chip — to eat
  14. degree — an amount
  15. court — of law
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. degree — from a university
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. saw — the tool
  24. craft — boats

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