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 · present · dip · pitch · bay · tube · firm · degree

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. row — a line
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. degree — temperature
  8. tube — a container
  9. dip — to sink
  10. present — a gift
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. present — the time now
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. degree — from a university
  15. firm — decided
  16. row — to paddle
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. firm — a company
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. present — there
  23. degree — an amount
  24. tube — the underground

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