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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bulb — for light
  4. degree — temperature
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stock — shares
  11. mug — to rob
  12. degree — an amount
  13. mug — a face
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wake — a trail
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stock — goods

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