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: mark · can · degree · cue · bear · fine · hide · cap

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. mark — a grade
  5. degree — an amount
  6. can — a tin
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. can — a tin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — a hint
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mark — a trace
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fine — all right

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