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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pit — a hole
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rash — a series
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. degree — an amount
  11. firm — steady
  12. can — a tin
  13. press — to push
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. can — to be able to
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. firm — decided
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — a company
  23. pit — in a race
  24. safe — out of danger

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