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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — temperature
  7. stock — goods
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. band — a music group
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. degree — from a university
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wake — a trail
  23. stock — shares
  24. band — a ring

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