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: bank · present · pass · fork · degree · bark

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. present — a gift
  3. degree — temperature
  4. present — there
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bank — for money
  8. bark — to shout
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. present — the time now
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pass — a permit

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