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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. degree — temperature
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pit — a hole
  8. game — a match
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. season — of the year
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pop — soda
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pop — to visit
  18. degree — from a university
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pop — music

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