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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. object — a thing
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. deal — to handle
  5. degree — an amount
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bulb — for light
  8. degree — from a university
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. degree — temperature
  12. root — the cause
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cap — of ice
  18. object — an aim
  19. mark — a trace
  20. root — of a plant
  21. sharp — clever
  22. root — of a word
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. object — to protest

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