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 116 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cue — a hint
  7. degree — an amount
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. field — for sport
  10. cue — a signal
  11. race — humankind
  12. field — farmland
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. field — a subject
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bay — a horse colour

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