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: board · bark · row · leaves · degree · perch · press · stick

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bark — to shout
  4. press — to push
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. perch — the fish
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. degree — from a university
  10. row — a line
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. press — newspapers
  15. board — to get on
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. board — a committee
  20. row — to paddle
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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