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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fall — the season
  3. staff — employees
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ground — a position
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. can — a tin
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bank — for money
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ground — crushed
  18. staff — a stick
  19. degree — an amount
  20. ground — the earth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bat — for baseball
  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