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 · pop · plane · wax · rest · degree · press · mark

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rest — what's left
  5. press — to push
  6. degree — from a university
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. degree — an amount
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. degree — temperature
  21. rest — a break
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rest — what's left

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