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: cell · pitcher · degree · lean · fine · rock · plane · bowl

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fine — high quality
  3. plane — a tool
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. cell — a phone
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. degree — from a university
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. degree — an amount
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rock — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. degree — temperature

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