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: degree · wind · mouse · mark · pit · bank · rest · saw

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bank — for money
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rest — what's left
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. degree — temperature
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wind — moving air
  14. degree — from a university
  15. rest — a break
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mouse — the animal

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