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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rock — a stone
  3. face — to confront
  4. degree — from a university
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bank — of a river
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bank — for money
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. lie — to recline
  13. face — part of the head
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. degree — an amount
  17. face — to point toward
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rock — music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. jam — in traffic

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