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: degree · stock · mug · bear · can · wake · mouse · craft

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. degree — from a university
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stock — goods
  7. can — a tin
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. degree — temperature
  14. craft — boats
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bear — the animal
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. stock — shares

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