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: fan · degree · band · file · hand · root · suit · roll

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. roll — a list
  3. root — the cause
  4. band — a music group
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. file — a line of people
  9. root — of a plant
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. file — a tool
  14. hand — help
  15. suit — to fit
  16. file — a document
  17. root — of a word
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. hand — in cards
  20. degree — an amount
  21. roll — a cake
  22. degree — from a university
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. band — a ring

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