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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — an amount
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. tube — a container
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. season — in sport
  12. tube — the underground
  13. degree — from a university
  14. board — a committee
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. season — of the year
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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