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: lie · bear · court · stem · pop · net · current · degree

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. degree — temperature
  3. net — after costs
  4. current — of water
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pop — to visit
  7. current — happening now
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of law
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. degree — from a university
  14. net — for catching
  15. bear — the animal
  16. net — in sport
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pop — music
  20. court — of a king
  21. pop — soda
  22. current — electric
  23. court — for sport
  24. stem — a stem cell

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