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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · suit · foot · degree · rule · cell

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rule — a law
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. degree — from a university
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cell — a phone
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rule — government
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. degree — an amount
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. suit — clothes
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. suit — to fit

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