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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. degree — temperature
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stock — shares
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. tear — from crying
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. tear — to rip
  17. craft — a skill
  18. degree — an amount
  19. ball — a great time
  20. stock — goods
  21. craft — boats
  22. tear — from crying
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bear — the animal

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