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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. court — of law
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. key — the most important part
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bank — for money
  7. bass — the fish
  8. key — for a lock
  9. row — a line
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bass — low music
  12. key — in music
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bank — of a river
  15. court — for sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. degree — from a university
  23. court — of a king
  24. pound — a weight

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