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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. degree — temperature
  3. pass — a permit
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. roll — a cake
  9. toast — bread
  10. degree — an amount
  11. roll — a list
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mate — a partner
  16. degree — from a university
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — a friend
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. calf — of the leg

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