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: dip · press · stem · tube · key · fine · degree · mug

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stem — to come from
  4. dip — to sink
  5. press — to push
  6. tube — the underground
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mug — a face
  9. key — the most important part
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. press — newspapers
  12. tube — a container
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. key — in music
  17. degree — from a university
  18. fine — all right
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. press — a publisher
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mug — to rob
  24. degree — temperature

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