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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. degree — an amount
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. plane — a tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. degree — from a university
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. dip — to sink
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. degree — temperature
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mate — a partner
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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