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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. degree — an amount
  10. band — a ring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mark — a trace
  16. degree — temperature
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. chair — a leader
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. degree — from a university
  24. band — a music group

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