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: rest · spell · pound · degree · cap · spring · squash · mouse

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rest — what's left
  3. degree — temperature
  4. cap — a lid
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rest — a break
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. spring — of water
  10. degree — an amount
  11. spring — a coil
  12. squash — the sport
  13. spell — letters
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spell — magic
  19. spring — the season
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. spell — a short time
  23. degree — from a university
  24. pound — for dogs

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