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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. cue — a hint
  5. craft — boats
  6. press — newspapers
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. press — to push
  9. land — to come down
  10. cue — for pool
  11. degree — an amount
  12. land — ground
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. land — a country
  15. spell — letters
  16. craft — a skill
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cue — a signal
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rash — a series
  21. kick — in football
  22. rash — hasty
  23. degree — from a university
  24. kick — with a leg

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