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: bark · track · net · arm · suit · stick · bowl · degree

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — temperature
  3. net — after costs
  4. track — a song
  5. track — to keep track
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. degree — an amount
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. track — a path
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — to fit
  20. net — for catching
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bark — to shout
  23. suit — in cards
  24. net — in sport

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