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 116 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: suit · dip · tube · scale · club · stock · degree · shower

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. degree — temperature
  2. degree — an amount
  3. club — a group
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. tube — the underground
  12. suit — clothes
  13. tube — a container
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stock — goods
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stock — shares
  18. shower — rain
  19. degree — from a university
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. suit — in cards
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  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