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: mug · track · season · pit · stand · net · degree · perch

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. season — in sport
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. degree — from a university
  11. mug — a face
  12. season — of the year
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. degree — an amount
  16. perch — the fish
  17. track — a song
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. net — after costs
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. mug — to rob
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. degree — temperature

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