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: degree · racket · pitcher · toast · branch · march · key · dip

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. degree — from a university
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. march — the month
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. toast — bread
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. march — the month
  12. degree — temperature
  13. branch — a division
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. march — music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. dip — to sink
  21. degree — an amount
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. branch — of a bank

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