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: can · foot · cue · wind · bear · degree · land · lash

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wind — moving air
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cue — for pool
  8. land — ground
  9. cue — a signal
  10. degree — an amount
  11. land — a country
  12. bear — the animal
  13. land — to come down
  14. bear — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. degree — from a university
  20. can — to be able to
  21. degree — temperature
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bear — to put up with

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