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: mark · coach · foot · rest · degree · nail · court · stem

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rest — a break
  6. court — of law
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rest — what's left
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mark — a grade
  20. court — of a king
  21. mark — a trace
  22. court — for sport
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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