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: fork · degree · pass · leaves · band · bark · chip · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. degree — temperature
  3. chip — for betting
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. band — a music group
  10. pass — a permit
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. band — a ring
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bark — to shout

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