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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. staff — employees
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. staff — employees
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. degree — temperature
  19. swing — music
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. degree — an amount
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. toast — bread

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