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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. dip — to sink
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. saw — the tool
  6. degree — an amount
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. degree — temperature
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. root — of a plant
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. plane — a tool
  13. root — the cause
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bass — low music
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. root — of a word
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. degree — from a university
  24. scale — for weighing

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