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: degree · pop · can · stick · ruler · root · tube · bass

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. can — a tin
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. degree — from a university
  7. can — a tin
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pop — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. tube — a container
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. degree — an amount
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — to be able to
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. bass — low music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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