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: degree · pit · prune · toast · cabinet · rest · foot · tube

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. prune — to trim
  8. degree — from a university
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rest — a break
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pit — a hole
  15. degree — temperature
  16. toast — bread
  17. foot — a measure
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. prune — the fruit

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