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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. degree — temperature
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tube — a container
  6. degree — an amount
  7. stand — to bear
  8. prune — to trim
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. file — a tool
  11. date — the fruit
  12. field — for sport
  13. degree — from a university
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. tube — the underground
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — a subject
  24. file — a document

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