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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. degree — temperature
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. dip — to sink
  8. perch — the fish
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. bear — the animal
  14. degree — from a university
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. stock — shares
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. season — in sport
  23. degree — an amount
  24. face — to confront

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