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 120 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: saw · bass · key · lean · degree · band · rest · sharp

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. degree — an amount
  3. key — in music
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. sharp — clever
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. degree — temperature
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. key — for a lock
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lean — thin
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rest — what's left
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bass — low music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. sharp — exactly

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