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: net · craft · stand · chest · degree · cue · bank · rush

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. degree — an amount
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bank — for money
  8. degree — from a university
  9. net — after costs
  10. degree — temperature
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bank — for money
  13. cue — a hint
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chest — a box
  17. craft — boats
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. net — for catching
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. craft — a skill

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