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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mug — a cup
  4. degree — an amount
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. mug — a face
  9. degree — from a university
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. game — wild animals
  14. vault — a safe
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mate — to breed
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mug — to rob
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. game — a match
  22. mate — a friend
  23. craft — boats
  24. mate — a partner

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