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: cell · tube · net · ruler · season · wax · fork · degree

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. tube — the underground
  3. degree — temperature
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fork — in a road
  6. net — for catching
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. wax — to grow
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. degree — from a university
  12. tube — a container
  13. season — in sport
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. cell — in biology
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. net — in sport
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cell — a phone
  20. net — after costs
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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