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 120 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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — an amount
  3. cell — in biology
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. dip — to sink
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. degree — from a university
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. cell — a phone
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. nail — for a hammer

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