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: bay · scale · foot · squash · coach · degree · lean · present

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  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. foot — the bottom
  2. scale — in music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. scale — size or range
  7. lean — thin
  8. squash — to crush
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. foot — a measure
  12. squash — the sport
  13. degree — from a university
  14. present — there
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. lean — to bend
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. degree — temperature
  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