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: pit · saw · chip · tube · degree · coach · scale · firm

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. degree — temperature
  4. scale — in music
  5. firm — decided
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. degree — an amount
  8. scale — size or range
  9. firm — a company
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pit — a hole
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. firm — steady
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. tube — a container
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pit — in a race
  24. tube — the underground

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