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: suit · bore · spell · bank · rock · scale · degree · chair

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rock — music
  3. bank — for money
  4. rock — a stone
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spell — a short time
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. degree — temperature
  15. spell — magic
  16. scale — in music
  17. bore — to tire
  18. degree — from a university
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bank — of a river
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bank — for money
  23. degree — an amount
  24. spell — letters

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