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

Word bank: fork · rest · degree · pitch · cell · leaves

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rest — what's left
  3. degree — an amount
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rest — what's left
  8. degree — temperature
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cell — a phone
  14. rest — a break
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. degree — from a university

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