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: scale · stem · coach · pound · rule · bore · degree · bank

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rule — government
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bank — for money
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. scale — in music
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. degree — temperature
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. degree — an amount
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. degree — from a university

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