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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. firm — a company
  3. degree — temperature
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. firm — decided
  7. chest — a box
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. land — a country
  11. firm — steady
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. land — to come down
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rock — music
  18. degree — from a university
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. craft — a skill
  21. degree — an amount
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. land — ground
  24. chest — of your body

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