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: can · mark · face · hand · degree · band · rush · cap

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. mark — a trace
  3. band — a ring
  4. degree — an amount
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rush — hurry
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. can — a tin
  13. cap — a hat
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. hand — help
  17. degree — from a university
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cap — a lid
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. hand — in cards
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cap — of ice

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