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 120 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: mine · wax · object · cabinet · degree · pitcher · row · suit

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. object — to protest
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. suit — clothes
  8. degree — an amount
  9. row — to paddle
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — to fit
  13. row — a line
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — a thing
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. degree — from a university
  24. mine — for digging

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