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: degree · stem · bowl · pound · trunk · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. degree — from a university
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. degree — an amount
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. degree — temperature
  17. pound — a weight
  18. trunk — of a car

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