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: band · lean · temple · lash · swing · degree · drill · pitcher

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. band — a ring
  4. degree — an amount
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. swing — to play on
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. degree — from a university
  11. lean — to bend
  12. swing — music
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. lean — thin
  17. band — a music group
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. drill — army training
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lash — to lash out

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