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: pitcher · ground · chip · track · mark · stick · rule · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rule — government
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. track — a path
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ground — crushed
  17. degree — from a university
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rule — a law
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chip — to eat

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