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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. degree — temperature
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mug — to rob
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mug — a face
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. firm — decided
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. firm — steady
  15. cap — a lid
  16. can — to be able to
  17. firm — a company
  18. wound — an injury
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. tube — a container
  21. mug — a cup
  22. can — a tin
  23. degree — from a university
  24. can — a tin

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