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: coach · mark · degree · cabinet · chest · can · suit · scale

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mark — a grade
  5. chest — of your body
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. can — a tin
  8. degree — an amount
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — from a university
  14. chest — a box
  15. suit — in cards
  16. scale — size or range
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. chest — of your body
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. scale — in music
  22. mark — a trace
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. scale — for weighing

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