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: nail · rush · degree · rule · bear · bank · dip · bass

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rule — a law
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bear — the animal
  5. degree — an amount
  6. rule — government
  7. bank — for money
  8. bass — the fish
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bass — low music
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. degree — from a university
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — of a river

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