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: track · calf · game · lean · content · key · bank · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. key — in music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. track — a path
  6. content — the amount
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — a song
  10. game — a match
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. degree — from a university
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — to keep track
  17. content — happy
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. degree — an amount
  23. lean — thin
  24. calf — of the leg

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