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: cap · mouse · stock · wake · bay · face · degree · bass

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. degree — temperature
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. degree — an amount
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bass — low music
  13. cap — a hat
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. degree — from a university
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mouse — for a computer

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