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: can · row · degree · court · toast · track · coach · suit

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. suit — to fit
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. can — a tin
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. court — for sport
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. can — a tin
  15. toast — bread
  16. court — of a king
  17. row — a line
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. can — to be able to
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. court — of law
  23. track — a song
  24. suit — clothes

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