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: fan · court · scale · rock · fork · bound · bank · degree

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rock — music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. court — of law
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bound — obliged
  8. court — of a king
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. degree — temperature
  13. fork — in a road
  14. court — for sport
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bank — for money
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bank — for money
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bound — certain

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