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 116 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: object · kick · rock · bark · can · mine · degree · bound

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rock — a stone
  4. degree — temperature
  5. object — an aim
  6. bound — tied together
  7. kick — in football
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. object — to protest
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bound — certain
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — music
  20. can — a tin
  21. bound — obliged
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. degree — from a university
  24. can — to be able to

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