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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. degree — from a university
  4. board — a committee
  5. stock — goods
  6. chip — for betting
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. board — to get on
  9. bass — low music
  10. date — the fruit
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rest — what's left
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rest — a break
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stock — shares
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rest — what's left

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