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: pound · net · fan · rock · cabinet · coach · scale · degree

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. rock — a stone
  3. net — after costs
  4. scale — size or range
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. net — for catching
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. degree — temperature
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. net — in sport
  15. scale — in music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rock — music
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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