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: lean · firm · sharp · degree · scale · saw · current · mark

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. degree — an amount
  5. saw — the tool
  6. degree — temperature
  7. mark — a grade
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. mark — a trace
  11. current — electric
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. firm — a company
  14. current — happening now
  15. scale — in music
  16. degree — from a university
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. sharp — clever
  19. current — of water
  20. scale — size or range
  21. saw — the tool
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lean — thin
  24. scale — for weighing

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