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: chair · fan · fine · bank · deal · can · degree · nail

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. deal — to handle
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. degree — from a university
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. fine — all right
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — a tin
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. degree — temperature
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chair — a leader
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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