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: bay · bank · degree · hand · mug · stand · key · dip

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mug — to rob
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. degree — temperature
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. hand — help
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bank — of a river
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. dip — to dunk

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