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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. degree — an amount
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. foot — a measure
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. degree — from a university
  15. rest — a break
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. present — a gift
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. present — there
  20. band — a music group
  21. cue — a signal
  22. present — the time now
  23. degree — temperature
  24. safe — out of danger

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