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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. degree — from a university
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. march — music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fine — all right
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fine — high quality
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. degree — an amount

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