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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. cue — a hint
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wax — to grow
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. snap — to click
  13. degree — from a university
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. degree — an amount
  16. roll — a list
  17. cue — for pool
  18. roll — a cake
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bear — the animal

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