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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. key — the most important part
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. degree — an amount
  7. board — a committee
  8. key — in music
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. board — to get on
  13. stem — to come from
  14. firm — steady
  15. key — for a lock
  16. firm — a company
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. firm — decided
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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