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: toast · spell · perch · arm · suit · degree · tube · row

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. toast — bread
  4. suit — clothes
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. tube — the underground
  10. degree — an amount
  11. spell — letters
  12. row — a line
  13. tube — a container
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. degree — from a university
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. spell — a short time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. row — to paddle
  20. spell — magic
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. arm — part of the body

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