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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. present — a gift
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. shower — rain
  5. mark — a trace
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. present — the time now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. degree — an amount
  14. present — there
  15. mark — a grade
  16. degree — from a university
  17. stock — goods
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stock — shares
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. plane — a tool

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