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: calf · degree · bulb · deal · stick · pit · content · wave

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. content — happy
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. content — the amount
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. pit — a hole
  20. deal — to handle
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. degree — from a university
  24. wave — of the sea

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