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: row · stock · suit · temple · degree · chip · ground · calf

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. row — a line
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ground — a position
  12. suit — in cards
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. suit — clothes
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. degree — temperature
  23. stock — goods
  24. ground — the earth

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