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: degree · perch · tube · firm · chest · can · mug · rule

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. chest — of your body
  3. can — a tin
  4. tube — a container
  5. mug — a cup
  6. degree — temperature
  7. mug — a face
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. firm — a company
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rule — a law
  12. chest — a box
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. chest — of your body
  16. perch — the fish
  17. can — to be able to
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. tube — the underground
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — decided
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rule — government

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