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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. degree — temperature
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. rash — hasty
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pit — in a race
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. degree — an amount
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. pit — a hole
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. land — to come down
  17. degree — from a university
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. land — a country
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. land — ground
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pound — to hit hard

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